


Shards

by rosamynal



Series: Cacoethes Scribendi [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amaurot (Final Fantasy XIV), Character Development, F/M, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Spoilers, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Physical Insertion, Polyamory, Pre-Canon, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Threesome - F/M/M, Worldbuilding, theory-crafting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-08-23 05:09:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 59,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20237263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosamynal/pseuds/rosamynal
Summary: Life continues even after the Convocation seat has been filled.---Anexcuse to flesh out my versions of these charactersexploration into what things could have been like.Mainly "M" for some fight scenes. "E" for Chapter 30's saucy bits.





	1. The Dinner Guest

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> While you're certainly welcome to read this as a stand alone, you'll likely enjoy it more if you read _ The Fourteenth_ first since this chapter picks up right where it left off.

Hythlodaeus softly hummed to himself as he waited for the lift to reach the correct floor. He was carefully holding the basket packed with food from the restaurant he had helped establish. Into that basket he had also slipped the two bottles of red wine the receptionist had given him; apparently an olive branch from Mitron to Hades, according to the accompanying note. 

Upon reaching the floor holding his friend’s office and apartment, he walked down the short hallway and knocked three times on the front door. A brief shiver down his back told him someone had checked for his soul; the sound that came from behind the door confirmed it.

“Coming, Daeus!” Eudora called followed by the door swinging open for him. 

He smiled at the blonde woman as she took the basket from him and disappeared through the door to the living area. Hythlodaeus closed the door behind him and took off his mask. 

“Let me help.”

A snap and his robes vanished only to reappear on the customary hook by the door. He looked up to find Hades leaning in the doorway to their office. Hythlodaeus walked over to the brown-haired man.

“Well?” he whispered, matching his old friend’s pose as he leaned against the wall beside him.

“We talked,” Hades whispered back. Their pale yellow eyes locked together as his friend smiled. “Thank you.”

Hythlodaeus returned the gesture.

“Alright, the table’s set and—oh no,” Eudora said, crossing her arms in the doorway to the living area. “The two of you aren’t allowed to mimic each other for at _least_ a month. Especially if you aren’t wearing your masks.”

Hythlodaeus apologized and straightened up while Hades cried out in mock indignation, theatrically putting a hand to his chest.

“I thought we’d be _easier_ to tell apart without our masks and robes!” he said. “He’s the one with the purple hair and you’ve already pointed out that _I’m_ the one with the big nose.”

“Despite my protests, we _do_ both have the same nose,” Hythlodaeus noted. “And your hair can look a little purple in certain lights.”

Hades quirked an eyebrow and smirked at him.

“Oh, _now_ you like the nose? Would it perhaps have anything to do with Dori saying she liked it?”

Hythlodaeus felt his face heat up and he found himself wishing for his hood and mask. Eudora warningly called Hades’ name. His old friend innocently splayed his hands out in front of him and smiled at the woman.

“I take it back,” she said with a smirk of her own. “The two of you are easy to tell apart—Daeus is the nice one, while Hades really can’t hold his tongue.”

She ignored Hades’ claims to the contrary and held up Mitron’s note to Hythlodaeus.

“Where did this come from? Apparently we have him to thank for tonight’s wine?”

“It would seem to be part of his concession to Hades,” he replied. “Outside of his role in today’s ceremony, of course.”

Eudora raised a blonde eyebrow and her silver eyes shifted over to focus on the other man.

“Care to explain?”

“The details don’t matter,” Hades shrugged. “He challenged me. I challenged him. The important part is that I won and now we have wine. I wonder if it’s from that one cultivar the botanists prefer.”

Her eyes swept back to Hythlodaeus, who quickly glanced at Hades. Understanding the silent plea, his friend changed the subject, approaching Eudora as he did so.

“Did you say the table is set?” he asked and lightly turned her around. “Let’s eat, then. It’d be a shame to let the food grow cold. Did they have anything good, Daeus?”

“You ask as if you wouldn’t eat the entire menu,” Hythlodaeus countered, following his friends into the dining room. “They had your favorite today: some kind of roasted meat with sautéed vegetables.”

The three of them sat down to eat, starting with the soup Hythlodaeus had picked out. The conversation shifted from the lack of explanation for the wine, to Eudora’s current plan. 

Hades pointed out that her office would be in the Capitol, so she would therefore need to find a separate place to live. He recommended she consider an apartment in one of the nearby districts, but Eudora shook her head.

“Call it nostalgia, but I would rather have an apartment in this district. We used to live near the Akadaemia, you see, and I always enjoyed being in the city’s center.”

His friend considered her request, thoughtfully chewing as he did so. 

“I don’t recall any vacancies off-hand,” he murmured once he had swallowed. “I’d have to look into adding a floor to an existing building.”

“Shouldn’t be too difficult to get approval from the Convocation,” Hythlodaeus added. “I remember seeing a few requests for housing expansions across all districts.”

“True; it seems more people are moving to Amaurot.”

His eyes lit up as he addressed Eudora, who was still sipping her soup.

“You’ll have to return to the coast to pack, won’t you?”

She faltered before groaning into her spoon.

“I forgot about that. That’ll probably take two days to go, sort through what I’d like to bring, and then return. Do you think Lahabrea would give me the time?”

“I’d like to think the old bore is somewhat understanding,” Hades replied. “Although expect an earful when you go to request it. Daeus and I can go back with you.”

Hythlodaeus frowned at the man.

“While I’d love to help Dori, why are you dragging me into this without first asking me?”

“Oh, did you think I’d make you work?” Hades smirked. “Remember that I owe you a ‘real day off’ for switching places with me. I was thinking you could relax and enjoy yourself while I help Dori sort through her things.”

_Why do I still get the feeling I’ll get roped into helping?_ he thought, poking a chunk of roasted pumpkin with his fork.

Eudora opened her mouth, but a knock echoed throughout the apartment before she could speak. Hades grew serious as he eyed the door leading to the reception area.

“I’m not expecting anyone,” he noted. “Daeus, could you check if we know them?”

Hythlodaeus nodded before taking a deep breath. He focused on Hades and Eudora, easily seeing the pure aquamarine color of the latter’s soul. To his surprise, he saw a flash of violet and red within Hades that quickly ducked back behind whatever barrier his old friend typically kept up. He glanced up at the man’s face to find Hades avoiding eye contact with him. 

Another knock reminded him of why he had opened up his senses in the first place. He turned in his seat to look towards the door and saw a midnight blue soul with silver swirling within it like a mist. When he reported what he saw to the others, Eudora perked up.

“I know him!” she said, hurrying to answer the door. 

A dark look came over Hades’ face as they heard a man’s voice.

“Little one!”

“Lukos! What are you doing here?”

“Did you really think I’d miss the ceremony? I’m not like your parents, child; I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

A pause followed by the sound of rustling fabric and a quiet grunt from the man.

“There, there, little one; it’s alright. There you go. Now, don’t forget your manners. Introduce me. Whoever owns this place must be annoyed by my intrusion.”

Eudora appeared in the doorway to the dining room a moment later, sniffling and straightening out her red dress. She smiled at Hades and Hythlodaeus while holding up a hand to keep the newcomer out of sight.

“I don’t know if you want to put your robes and masks back on,” she said. “I can already tell you he’d prefer to be without them; he’s never really liked what he calls ‘city clothes’.”

“I don’t mind if he sees _me_ without them,” Hades replied. “Daeus, I can get yours for you, if you’d like.”

He mulled over the offer before shaking his head.

“I’m alright,” he said softly as he stood up. “He seems to be a close friend of Dori’s, so I don’t mind if he sees my face.”

Hades rounded the table to stand by Hythlodaeus and crossed his arms.

“Well, let’s see this man who would so easily intrude on my home.”

A man appeared beside Eudora in the door. He was taller than Hades and Hythlodaeus—much to their surprise—and had a larger build than the typical Amaurotine. The hands which lowered his hood and removed his wooden mask ended in black claws. The man’s hair was an unruly white mane and the eyes that swept over the pair were dark blue. His lips curled into a snarly smirk, revealing a pair of fangs.

“You must be a Wildling,” Hades noted plainly.

A beat. Hythlodaeus turned to stare at his old friend with wide eyes and a strained smile.

“Hades,” he hissed through tight lips, “you don’t just _say_ things like that.”

A deep chuckle rumbled from the tall man as he leaned over to Eudora.

“I like that one,” he said, nodding at Hades. “He’s straightforward for a citydweller.”

“You might change your mind once he keeps talking,” she replied although a subtle light sparkled in her silver eyes.

Hades approached Eudora and the man. He passed a hand over his face, summoning his red mask into place as he bowed to the newcomer.

“Emet-Selch,” he said before straightening up and letting his mask vanish. “But since it seems you’re close to Eudora, you may call me Hades in private.”

Dark blue eyes swept over Hades before drifting over to Hythlodaeus. He hesitantly approached at the silent summons and stood beside his old friend.

“My name is Hythlodaeus,” he said. “Most people call me ‘Daeus’.”

“And you are?” Hades pressed.

“Lukos.”

“Do you remember the mentor I mentioned? The one who insisted I apply for the vacant seat?” Eudora asked, placing herself between Hades and Lukos. “That was him.”

Hythlodaeus managed to relax enough to smile up at the man.

“Ah, then we have you to thank for reuniting with Dori.”

He tensed as the man’s heavy stare swung back to land on him. The dark blue eyes bore into him for a moment before lowering to question Eudora.

“They were my friends when I lived here,” she explained. “Don’t you remember me talking about them, now and then?”

The man made a noise to show he did and studied Hades and Hythlodaeus anew. The former cleared his throat and motioned to the dining table.

“We hadn’t planned on anyone joining us, but we have enough to share,” Hades said. “Would you like some?”

“I have already eaten.”

“Don’t be like that,” Eudora said, nudging the white-haired man towards the empty seat at the table. “He’ll have a little bit of the meat—and a glass of wine, if you don’t mind sharing that.”

“So long as he doesn’t break the chair when he sits,” Hades muttered under his breath, ignoring the subsequent hiss of Hythlodaeus saying his name.

Silence fell over the room as they finished their meal. The table was cleared with a single snap from Hades, leaving only their glasses and the remaining bottle of wine. He suggested moving to the living room, due to it being more comfortable than conversing at the dining table. 

Eudora shared the sofa with Lukos while Hades and Hythlodaeus settled into the armchairs. She told the tall man about her time in Amaurot. Hythlodaeus noticed that she quickly skipped over the morning she spent with Hades after they had switched places, instead going directly into the trial. 

Once she finished, the man gave her a proud smile that lit up his eyes.

“So now I must call you ‘Shachar’ in public.”

“That’s likely what the others would say, but I know you’ll still use your pet name for me.”

Hythlodaeus sensed Hades tense in the armchair beside his. Even Eudora noticed; her brow faintly creased as her eyes darted over to look at him.

“How long will you stay in Amaurot?” Hythlodaeus asked. 

This time, he had prepared himself for the shift in the man’s attention—but he still felt as if the man were staring directly into him. 

“It’s difficult to say,” Lukos replied. “I had originally thought only a few days, but I was then reminded that I have a standing invitation to teach at the Akadaemia. I’ve known Lahabrea since before his Convocation days and he invited me to join him as a professor a little over a millennia ago.”

“What could a Wildling teach us?” Hades asked.

Hythlodaeus dropped his face into his hands with a stifled groan. Lukos, however, chuckled.

“Due to living outside the walls of your cities, the Wildlings have _forgotten_ more of the natural world than citydwellers could ever hope to learn. Our ways would especially prove beneficial to those unable to manipulate aether.”

Hythlodaeus perked at the news. He saw Hades glance at him from the corner of his eye.

“How so?” he asked while his friend crossed his arms. “I must confess that we don’t know much of the Wildlings, apart from their appearance.”

“Are either of you aware of the time when the people still warred with each other?”

The pair nodded.

“In those times, those unable to manipulate aether were cast out of the cities. The exiles banded together for survival, physically creating tools and shelter. They learned to hunt the creatures that had been released into the Wild by the citydwellers and taught themselves to cultivate the edible plants. As a result, a society was born that bared their faces and did not use aether—although now and then, a few among them may be born with the talent to use it.”

“Lukos is one of those,” Eudora explained. “He grew up outside of the cities, but eventually moved into them to see if he could learn anything to help the Wildlings. In exchange, he taught others about the world outside the walls.” She addressed her mentor. “Does that mean you met up with Lahabrea before coming to find me?”

“How do you think I found you, little one?” the man retorted with a soft smile.

“You need a place to stay,” Hades noted tersely. “Professors typically live within the Akadaemia, but I doubt they have anything available at the moment.”

“It is a poor Wildling who cannot spend a few nights outdoors,” Lukos replied, “but I am aware of how that would appear to the citydwellers. Lahabrea was kind enough to offer me a room until accommodations are made for me in the Akadaemia. Thank you, Architect, for your consideration.”

Hades put a hand to his chest and bowed in his seat. The white-haired man pat Eudora’s hand and stood up to address the men.

“As a sign of gratitude, I will not impose myself further on your hospitality. Thank you, both, for the meal and for being good friends to my little one.” He half-turned to smile down at Eudora. “I suppose you will be overly occupied for the next few days. Send word to me through Lahabrea whenever you would like to see me. I’ll ask him to inform you once my living arrangements have been decided.”

Lukos dismissed himself with a bow and Eudora walked him to the door. Hythlodaeus took advantage of being alone with Hades to frown at him.

“What came over you?” he asked, glancing at the door to make sure Eudora wasn’t coming back. “I know diplomacy isn’t your strong suit, but that was too much even for you.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hades grumbled, summoning a wine glass back into his hand and taking a sip. “I was perfectly civil.”

“You know precisely what I mean,” he replied, but stopped when he heard footsteps.

Eudora paused at the doorway to watch Hades with one hand resting on her hip. Hythlodaeus caught a faint glimpse of Eudora’s soul as it tried to touch Hades’ hidden one. His brow furrowed as he looked from one to the other, trying to understand what he had seen. 

Hades took a deep breath and sighed into his wine glass. To his surprise, he felt his friend’s soul reach out and brush against his before it slipped back into hiding. He understood the gesture since it echoed one Hades did often: a lazy pat on the back and a reassuring word that they would speak later.

Hythlodaeus relaxed in his armchair and nodded when he caught Hades’ sideways glance. His old friend smirked and focused on Eudora as she took her seat on the sofa.

“Never mentioned your mentor was a Wildling,” he said while ignoring Hythlodaeus pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You never asked about him.”

“_That_ is what I meant,” said Hythlodaeus.

Eudora tilted her head in confusion as Hades chuckled.


	2. Insomnia

_“Could you simply tell me one thing before I leave?”_

_“Hm?”_

_“Were you jealous?”_

_A pause. A barely restrained glare._

_“Good night, Daeus.”_

The scene kept running through his mind; distant, like the recollection of a play he had seen. Hades had dismissed it, brushed it off like water from his robes. Yet his old friend’s softly spoken question persisted, replaying without stop like that record of his.

Hades rolled onto his back and sighed at his ceiling, hands resting on his chest. Sleep would be impossible now. He gave it one final attempt and gently flipped onto his side. 

The man tried to systematically relax each part of his body—a technique Hythlodaeus had taught him once. It mostly worked, save for being unable to stop his mind once his body had relaxed. 

He settled into his bed with another sigh born from—what felt like—the depths of his soul. 

_“Were you jealous?”_

Myriad replies came to mind.

_No, of course not. Jealous? Of a **Wildling**? Why should I be jealous? What **reason** is there for me to be jealous? Sure, I’m not as tall and I have a leaner build, but I am a member of the Convocation! I am the current Emet-Selch! We do not get jealous. People envy **us**. Besides, jealousy only happens when… _

No. Sleep has decidedly evaded him tonight. Again. He already knew he would fall asleep during the day’s session. And it would be her first one as his equal…

Another sigh.


	3. Misery Loves Company

Eudora flipped onto her stomach, burying her face into her pillow. Between everything that had happened from preparing for the ceremony to being surprised by Lukos, the woman had barely had a chance to rest.

_And now that I can sleep the entire night..._

The pillow absorbed most of her frustrated yell. She hoped it wouldn’t wake Hades in his bedroom on the other side of the apartment. What had woken her up in the first place? Eudora lifted her head and looked around the dark room, as if she’d be able to see the culprit.

The woman sighed through her nose and rolled onto her side, hugging her pillow close. She tried closing her eyes and forcing herself to go back to sleep. Her mind immediately wandered.

_“I like that one.”_

Lukos had never said that about anyone. In fact, he—notoriously—barely tolerated any “citydweller” after _her_ death. It shocked everyone when the man had hit it off with Eudora so easily, going so far as to do everything short of officially adopt her as his own daughter. For him to come all the way to Amaurot for her ceremony and decide to _stay_—

Why _did_ he choose to move? He hated cities; even back at the coast, he preferred to live on the shore instead of in the city floating over the ocean. Eudora doubted he would be allowed to live outside the walls—although something told her that Hades would very happily make accommodations for him.

She opened her eyes to frown at the darkness. Memories of the morning of her trial and their conversation drifted through her mind. A finger idly traced a shape on the pillow as she recalled everything he had done. Her eyes drifted closed with the action of remembering.

After their talk, Hades had lowered a little bit of the wall hiding his soul. The change had surprised and delighted her, making her mention it without considering that he would probably tuck it away again.

_Contrarian little thespian that he is,_ she mused with a lazy smile.

Instead, his soul—ever so hesitantly—reached out to inspect hers before lightly brushing against it and darting back to him like a skittish cat that peeked one eye out from behind a wall to watch its environs.

That was why she had found it strange upon noticing he had reverted back to keeping his soul totally hidden. Even gently knocking on the wall with her own soul did nothing except give her a sense of rejection.

The change seemed to coincide with Lukos’ arrival, considering the way his soul had continued watching her and Hythlodaeus throughout the first part of their dinner. But why the caution around _Lukos_? Sure, the man could _seem_ intimidating, but it was only to preserve his peace and quiet. It was almost as if Hades was—

Eudora’s eyes snapped open and her heart stopped before she could complete the thought.

_No!_ she thought, clutching the pillow to her chest. _Hades isn’t. He can’t be! Of **Lukos**?! But he’s like a— That’s ridiculous; don’t be ridiculous, Dori. You’re reading into it; seeing things that aren’t there. Surely Daeus would sooner be—_

_“What came over you?” _

She had overheard Hythlodaeus ask Hades the question and waited just out of sight for the man’s response. It had been dismissive—as expected—which only meant he was hiding something.

_Daeus noticed, too. Nothing escapes him. That means that something **is** going on in Hades’ head. The question is what?_

Eudora heard muffled steps out in the apartment. A moment later, a thin strip of light appeared under her closed door. More steps followed by the sound of something being prepared in the small kitchen. After a few minutes, the smell of brewed coffee wafted into her room.

_So that’s why he has the kitchen,_ she realized.

The woman slipped out of bed and put on a house robe over her nightclothes.

Upon easing open the door, she found Hades standing in the kitchen. The man wore a black house robe of his own and was holding a cup in his hand, attentively watching the coffee machine on the counter.

“What happened?” she asked.

The man started, tightly gripping the cup before it could fly out of his hand. He frowned at her once he had regained his composure.

“I couldn’t sleep. Did I wake you?”

She shook her head.

“I couldn’t sleep, either,” she confessed and pointed at the coffee. “Is there enough for two?”

“Of course.”

A cup appeared in his other hand, which he offered to her. She accepted it with a thankful smile.

“So,” she started hesitantly, “what kept you from sleeping?”

“My own thoughts, same as most nights. You?”

“Same, other than the ‘most nights’ part.”

Hades carefully poured coffee into her cup and then filled his own. An offer spilled out of her mouth before she could stop it.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

His pale yellow eyes darted to look at her before focusing on the coffee pot.

“It would be a waste of time,” he replied, setting the pot back in its place.

The same sense of rejection hit her, telling her that he was unwilling to talk about it. His gaze swept back to her, however, and he spoke again.

“What about you? Can I help with whatever’s keeping you awake?”

“No,” she said softly. “I get the feeling you can’t.”

A concerned crease of his brow capped off the frown curling his lips, but Hades let the matter drop. Instead, he motioned to the living room.

“Shall we? I must confess after having seen it so many mornings, that this apartment has a lovely view of the sunrise. It’s best seen from the living room.”

Eudora smiled at the suggestion. The pair walked to the sofa and settled in to wait for the sunrise.


	4. Tea

Soft jazz lilted through the office as Hades hunched over the blueprints on his desk. Across the room, Hythlodaeus reviewed what the Architect had already finished. The pair worked in silence, broken only whenever Hythlodaeus called over to confirm something in Hades’ notes.

Hades stared at the papers in front of him, trying to discern how many floors he could add to a residential building before the structure needed to be reinforced. While working, he recalled Eudora’s request from the night before. He had asked the woman again when she stayed behind to settle into her office in the Capitol. The response had been the same as the previous night: near the Akadaemia.

The thought nettled him, but he pushed it away to focus on the design in front of him. He did a quick calculation in the margin and verified the conversion from scale model to actual size. Tapping the end of his pen on the desk, Hades settled on running a simulation tomorrow morning. The man stood up to take the blueprint over to Hythlodaeus. 

His friend studied the plans when he placed them on the desk. He made a pleased hum.

“I see the Convocation granted permission for the expansion.”

“They had to. I went over the last census with Deudalaphon and Fandaniel; the city is reaching capacity. It would reflect poorly if we closed off Amaurot to those wishing to relocate here.”

Hythlodaeus nodded in understanding and checked his calculations. 

“It looks good to me. You’ll run a simulation, of course.” 

Hades nodded. Hythlodaeus mimicked the gesture, slowing down as his eyebrows furrowed together. A finger tapped on the drawing.

“Isn’t this the residential building across from the Akadaemia?”

“It is,” Hades replied, fidgeting with the pen in his hands.

The man felt his old friend study him. He willed himself still as Hythlodaeus’ gaze swept over him. A glance showed the other man watching his hands. He stood and grabbed Hades’ hand before any words could be exchanged.

“Come on; I’ll make tea.”

Hades protested as Hythlodaeus dragged him across the reception area and his apartment, stopping only once they were in the kitchen. He crossed his arms once he was released and glared at his friend’s back while Hythlodaeus filled a kettle with water.

“Don’t glare,” the man said without looking as he put the kettle on the stove. “You were the one who implied we would speak; I’m merely making it happen sooner than you had expected.”

“Not true,” Hades countered. “I can still leave.”

Hythlodaeus glanced over his shoulder. Amusement glimmered in the man’s pale yellow eyes.

“Then go.”

They watched each other for a moment. Hades huffed in defeat and summoned a cup in each hand, which he then handed over to Hythlodaeus. 

“I’ll drink whatever you make for yourself.”

His twin nodded and prepared a single teapot. The pair waited in silence while the tea brewed. When it was ready, Hythlodaeus poured a cup for each of them and led Hades into the living room.

They sat on the sofa, quietly sipping at the hot tea for a few minutes. Hythlodaeus broke the silence. 

“Tell me what’s bothering you.”

Hades scowled at the tea as he brought it up for a sip. He momentarily considered asking what his friend meant, but knew he would only get a knowing stare in response. 

_He already knows; he’s simply asking to be polite. Hmph. I never could hide anything from him._

He inhaled, releasing it as a heavy sigh.

“What do you think of the Wildling?”

Hythlodaeus slightly tilted his head as he considered the question.

“He seems to care for Dori. Very much so, considering he moved to be near her.”

Hades’ hands tensed around his tea cup. The other man studied the action; the set of his lips slightly softened before he spoke.

“Ah, so I was right.”

“About _what_?” Hades demanded flatly.

“You’re jealous.”

“I am not,” he growled through his teeth.

“You aren’t supposed to lie, Angel of Truth.”

“_If_ I am, then what am I jealous over?”

“Seemingly, the relationship between a woman and—what appears to be—a loving uncle, considering the way he addresses her,” he noted, taking a sip.

“Well you’re obviously wrong. For once,” Hades retorted.

“About your jealousy or the relationship between Dori and Lukos?”

Hades bit his tongue before he could hiss out “both”. He could already imagine Hythlodaeus’ counter.

_“If you aren’t jealous, then why say I’m wrong about their relationship?”_

He clenched his jaw in annoyance, trying to figure out a response. He gave up when the other man leaned over to study him. Hades scoffed.

“You _are_ as bad as I am.”

Hythlodaeus ignored the jab.

“Have you tried talking to Dori?”

“What’s the point?”

“Clarification?”

Hades fell silent. He glanced away from his friend, finishing his tea to cover his lack of response. 

A faint sigh reached his ears from Hythlodaeus’ direction. Hades looked over to find the man had leaned back against the sofa and was staring at the window across the room while drinking his tea.

Emotions bubbled up within him, guilt more than the others.

_Daeus only wants to help,_ he thought, staring at the cup in his hands. _But how do I explain…_

An idea struck him, pushing his eyebrows up his forehead. He took a deep breath and slowly lowered his guard as he exhaled. The rhythmic pulse of his old friend’s soul froze when Hades looked at him; he physically tensed.

Hythlodaeus’ dark eyebrows drew together in confusion as he met the man’s gaze. Hades lowered his eyes, instead reaching out with his soul until violet and red touched green and gold. He fed the emotions churning within him into the connection. 

Confusion and surprise faded from his twin’s soul, shifting into understanding. It surrounded his own soul in a soothing embrace. Hades relaxed into the warm feeling with closed eyes.

A pair of hands gently pulled him into a physical embrace. He leaned into Hythlodaeus’ arms as his old friend pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head.

“My poor brother,” Hythlodaeus whispered. “So this is what you’ve been hiding.”

Hades remained silent, closing his eyes as a knot formed in his throat.

“How many times do I have to remind you that you don’t have to suffer alone? Since the day we met, we’ve always had each other; always _been_ there for each other. Brothers in the truest sense. I have confided everything to you, yet you insist on bearing all your burdens by yourself and hiding behind a mirthful mask. Not even you are strong enough to carry all that weight, dearest brother.”

A pulse of emotion slipped through before Hades could stop it. 

“Ah, my apologies. My words aren’t helping, are they?”

He sensed Hythlodaeus begin to retract his soul and grabbed on to it. His friend stopped and lightly rubbed his back with a gentle hush. 

They stayed together, one comforting the other as the record in the office came to an end.


	5. Home

“Are you even listening?”

Lukos hummed in response, but kept his attention on his book. Eudora rolled her eyes and called his name for a third time, impatiently tapping her foot. Without looking away from the pages, he reached over and stopped the tapping with his hand. 

“Oh, so _that_ you can hear?” she asked, crossing her arms.

The man remained silent and turned the page in his book. 

Lukos was sitting cross-legged under a tree in a public garden with a book open in his lap. People had been giving the tree a wide berth all morning due to the unmasked and unhooded man below it. Eudora’s fingers drummed on her upper arms as she watched the man at her feet. She leaned over and tapped a finger on the book, dismissing it from Lukos’ hands. 

The Wildling sighed and finally looked up at her.

“That was a rather interesting bestiary, little one. I hope you remember where you put it.”

“I do. Did you hear what I said?”

He shook his head. She barely managed to contain an annoyed yell. Instead, she pointed to her own mask and hood.

“People have been complaining about a man out in public without his mask and hood.”

Lukos hummed pensively.

“I’ll keep an eye out for him.”

She shouted his name, drawing the attention of a few passerby. A faint smile flitted across his face as his dark blue eyes watched her.

“You know exactly what I mean!” she said, lowering her voice to a hiss. “You’re living in a city, now; you need to wear your mask and hood.”

“No, I don’t.”

“It’s city law, Lukos.”

A thick book appeared in his hands. He held up a hand before Eudora could snatch it and leafed through with his other hand. Upon finding the page he wanted, Lukos held the book up and tapped a claw on the passage for her to read.

“Should a Wildling find himself resident of a city, either coerced or willing, he is to keep his face and head bared so that all may know his savage nature.”

Her stomach twisted as she handed the book back to her mentor, who made it vanish. She had nearly forgotten how other people viewed Wildlings.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly.

“Don’t be. It’s out of your control, little one.” His face lit up with a smile. “The adults avoid me, but the children are yet to have the curiosity beaten out of them. A few have asked me why I don’t have a tail. Do you think I should give myself one?”

“The idea is to fit _in_, Lukos. I know you don’t like the idea, but why not…” she hesitated while tapping her own nails, “_hide_ some of your features as long as you’re inside the walls?”

“I refuse to be ashamed of myself, like a citydweller,” he said, baring his fangs in disgust. 

“It’s not shame—” she started, but quickly gave up, covering her mask with her hands in frustration.

It wasn’t Eudora’s first time attempting to explain the reason and she knew it wouldn’t be her last. She also had the sinking feeling she wasn’t the first to try. The man was intelligent enough to understand everything after a single explanation—regardless of the topic’s complexity. The sole exception was things he stubbornly refused to comprehend. 

“The people will grow accustomed to my presence in time and the reports of the strange, barefaced man will come to a stop—just as they did on the coast. Until then, I will find more isolated locations to enjoy my books. Speaking of which…”

Lukos held out his hand. Eudora ignored the outstretched hand and sat down beside her mentor. She noticed a few Amaurotines glance their way before exchanging hushed whispers. The man sighed and rested his hands on his knees. 

“Tell me you did not forget to where you spirited away the bestiary. It belongs to Lahabrea, I’ll have you know.”

“No,” she smirked. “I just wanted to sit with you for a bit. I’ll give it back before I leave.”

“Tire of your role as Listener already, little Shachar?”

She rolled her eyes and playfully nudged his shoulder.

“I just thought that maybe if people saw me with you, it would help normalize your presence.”

He smiled in thanks and pat her hand. 

They sat in silence, watching the people pass by them. After a few minutes, she sensed the aether around them shift and gather near Lukos. Before Eudora could look at him, a soft, white tail appeared beside her. She raised an eyebrow and watched the tip flick left to right like a metronome. 

It suddenly stopped as the rest of the man grew attentive. 

“Your friend approaches.”

“Depending on which one it is, I’d suggest hiding your new tail.”

The gathered aether dissipated. The tail vanished just as Hades came into view. To her surprise, his soul was visible—like it had been that morning—albeit guarded now that he was out in public. She smiled under her mask and stood as he walked over to join them.

“I see I was right to follow rumors of a barefaced man reading in a garden.”

“Architect,” Lukos said in greeting, but remained seated.

“Wildling,” he said with a nod. “I’ve come to inform you that your rooms in the faculty residential hall are ready. I hope it meets your expectations.”

Lukos responded with a grateful nod.

“I look forward to seeing your work, Architect.”

Hades turned his attention to Eudora, a soft smile hovering over his lips.

“I ran the simulation I mentioned this morning.”

“And?” she pressed when he refused to say more.

The smile solidified into a smirk as he scanned the buildings visible over the garden’s trees. Apparently finding what he was looking for, Hades stood behind Eudora and turned her to face the same direction. He stepped closer so that her back pressed against his chest. His hand came up to help angle her head so she could see down his lifted arm.

While his fingers lightly kept her chin up, part of her friend’s soul brushed against her. She sensed his happiness and excitement at what he had to show her. Her heart skipped as a smile found itself on her face.

“Do you see that building? The one a few floors shorter than the others?”

Having been distracted by the feeling of the man enveloping her, Eudora hadn’t realized he had been pointing at something. She quickly sighted down his arm and nodded when she noticed the building. His head pressed into her hood, close to her ear.

“Keep your eye on it,” he whispered.

The thumb and middle finger on the lifted hand came together and snapped. 

The top floor of the building shimmered before being engulfed in violet aether. The aetherical cloud stretched outwards then upwards. It stopped upon reaching three floors worth of height. The cloud hovered a moment longer before dissipating when Hades exhaled, revealing three new floors on top of the building.

Eudora’s jaw dropped and she took a step back, pushing her further into Hades. She stumbled. His arms swept in to catch her; his soul steadied hers.

“Are you that awestruck, Shachar?” he asked, smirk evident in his voice.

The sound of applause reminded her they were in public—and made her face burn at their proximity. She stepped away from Hades in time for him to bow at the Amaurotines around them. 

“There is no need,” he said despite his soul glimmering with glee around its wall. “This is but the first of many residential expansions to come. The Convocation of Fourteen requests your patience as we continue to improve our fair city.”

Another round of applause and the spectators slowly scattered. Lukos stepped forward, hands lowering from when he had joined in with the others.

“Excellently done, Emet-Selch. You are a credit to your seat.”

Hades gave the man a deep bow. The Wildling turned to smile at Eudora and held out his hand. 

“I would like to see my new home, little one. My book if you please.”

She nodded and the book appeared in her mentor’s hand. His soul sent a quick message to her as he bid the pair a good afternoon and walked away.

_“I’ll take the long way out of the garden.”_

The words confused her until Hades lightly tapped her arm for attention.

“Shall we?” he asked, motioning towards the building.

“What do you mean?”

Hades sighed and shook his head.

“Must I _really_ spell it out for you? Oh, very well,” he sighed dramatically, looping his arm around hers and gently pulling her along as he walked to the exit. “That residential building I so skillfully expanded is across from the Akadaemia. According to our records, _you_ used to live there. Once I had performed my simulation and made my adjustments, I visited the building to arrange the expansion. I spoke with the inhabitants, shuffled around some of the residences, and secured a particular apartment for you. My current question is thus: would you like the entire floor or merely the space your family once occupied?”

Eudora stopped and stared at him. 

“You _didn’t_.”

“I’m afraid I very much _did_,” he retorted with a smirk. “Shall we? Daeus is waiting with the paperwork.”

Happiness exploded within her, catapulting her forward to throw her arms around him in a tight embrace that nearly threw him off balance. Her mask vanished from her face long enough for her to kiss him on the exposed skin of his jaw. It tensed and his breath hitched as her mask reappeared. 

“Thank you, Hades,” she whispered before letting go of him. 

The lower half of his face recovered into a smile as he offered his arm anew. Eudora accepted it and walked with him to her new home.


	6. Twins

Hythlodaeus smiled, carefully resting his head against the open window of the gondola lift as it carried the three of them over the ocean. The sea breeze ruffled his short, dark purple hair and the thin white scarf wrapped around his neck. 

During the train ride to the coast, Eudora had explained that robes and hoods were never worn there due to the stifling heat. Instead, people simply wore their masks. He had been hesitant at first—he didn’t quite feel comfortable out in public without his hood—but then the woman made a scarf for him and taught him how to wrap it to resemble one. 

Said friend sat towards the front of the gondola, wearing a pale blue summer dress and keeping an eye on her two traveling companions, who were the only other occupants of the lift. Hythlodaeus suspected it was to ensure they didn’t switch places on her. 

Both of his friends had abandoned their Convocation masks in favor of the simple white ones worn by the rest of the populace. Hades had explained it as not wanting to draw attention to themselves; they were only going to the coast to fetch the rest of Eudora’s things, after all, and not on official business. 

The man in question leaned against the other window and was in the process of fanning himself with his white mask. The long sleeves of his red dress shirt were rolled up to the elbow and his tie had been undone and dissipated long ago. He had been loudly complaining of the heat since they had disembarked from the train. His twin chose that moment to resume. 

“When you described your lovely home, you forgot to mention it was forsakenly _hot_.” 

“It’s not that bad; you’re just overreacting,” Eudora countered, delighting in his suffering. “It would be much better if you let me change the material of your clothes. Daeus did, and do you see him complaining?” 

“I’ll be sure to nominate him as a candidate for the next vacancy, then,” Hades muttered dryly. 

“Just let Dori change your clothes,” said Hythlodaeus. “You will feel a lot better; I’d even say you’ll feel like a whole new man.” 

Hades shot a glare across the gondola that chilled Hythlodaeus, even in the coastal heat. The man flashed his old friend an innocent smile while Eudora spoke up. 

“We’ll get you something cool to drink once we’re in the city. That and staying in the shade for a bit will help.” 

“Won’t change the fact that the very _air_ is burning.” 

Eudora rolled her eyes. Hythlodaeus noticed that even her soul seemed fed up with the complaints. 

“I’m changing your clothes,” she announced, standing up to approach him. 

Hades somehow paled at her words, despite the flush on his face. He backed himself into a corner trying to keep her at a distance. 

“R-really, there’s no need—” 

“You’re overreacting. Again,” she interrupted with a smirk. “All I’m going to do is pass my hands over your clothes so the concept takes effect.” 

“I’m perfectly capable of changing my own clothes. Why not just tell me the concept so I can do it myself?” 

Eudora’s smirk widened into a mischievous grin as she wriggled her fingers. 

“Because this is _much_ more fun. Not to mention, you had no issue with contact the day you expanded the residential building. You almost literally had your arms wrapped around me.” 

Hythlodaeus let out a shocked laugh. 

“Wait, _excuse_ me? You conveniently left that part out, Hades!” 

“Don’t start, Dae-ack!” 

Eudora pounced, pulling him back to his seat by the window. Even Hades’ soul struggled against her, until the woman’s soul reached out and began to reassuringly stroke it while she gently whispered to him. Hythlodaeus sensed his friend reluctantly relax after a few seconds. 

Lightly resting her hands on his shoulders, the aether comprising the other man’s clothes shifted, thinning out and shortening the sleeves. Her hands slipped down his chest, weaving in cooler aether to help combat the heat. Hades visibly tensed at the action and Hythlodaeus rolled his eyes. 

_He’s hopeless._

With the change finished, Eudora dropped her hands and inspected her work. She whispered something to Hades that Hythlodaeus couldn’t hear. His old friend nodded in response and he sensed an exchange happen between their souls. He noticed that Hades had caught one of her hands and was lightly stroking the back of it with a thumb. 

A faint smile curled Hythlodaeus’ lips as his eyebrows lifted at the observation. 

_Ah, perhaps I was too quick to judge. _

Eudora hopped up a moment later and returned to her original seat. 

“I still think we’ll get something cool to drink once we arrive,” she said, turning around to look out the front window of the gondola. “It shouldn’t be too long, now.” 

Hades’ soul reached out to tap Hythlodaeus. He sensed mischief in the touch and prepared himself for it when his friend moved to sit beside him. 

“No,” he whispered before Hades could open his mouth. 

“Just for today.” 

“She’ll _know_. Our souls are different colors; it'll be just like with Igeyorhm.” 

Hades smirked. Hythlodaeus felt a wall go up around his soul, dulling his perception of the world. He frowned at the sensation as he looked around. 

“How do you live like this?” 

“You get used to it. Before you ask, we can do our old trick if you need to use aether.” 

Hythlodaeus’ frown deepened into a scowl. 

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun,” Hades drawled quietly. 

“Vacation.” 

“Which you will still have!” he smiled. “It’ll be more fun this way.” 

The smile faded from Hades’ face as their souls made contact again. The brief instant was enough for Hythlodaeus to feel his old friend’s emotions. His heart faintly broke at the information and he sighed, touching Hades’ soul to transmit his opinion on the matter. 

Hades grinned and held out his hand. Hythlodaeus shook it, feeling his friend’s aether wash over him. 

His hair lengthened until it matched Hades’ hair, which took on a purple hue like Hythlodaeus’. The color of his twin’s clothes lightened while his darkened until they both wore the same pale pink, short-sleeved shirt and light grey pants. The thin white scarf snaked up to wrap around Hades’ neck and complete the illusion. They studied each other, both satisfied that they looked indistinguishable. 

“You two _are_ aware that I know you’re up to something?” Eudora asked. 

They looked up to find she had yet to turn around, but had crossed her arms. 

“So distrustful,” Hades drawled. 

“Could we really blame her, brother?” Hythlodaeus added. 

“I suppose not—especially after the last time.” 

He faintly sensed Eudora’s soul tense through the wall Hades had put on his soul. 

She slowly turned to face them and let out a startled yell. The pair chuckled; the identical sound seemed to unsettle her further. 

“That’s—! You—!” Her gaze jumped from one to the other. “You even made his hair longer! How am I supposed to tell you apart now?!” 

“Ah, surely you can think of something, Dori,” Hades smirked. 

Her finger hesitantly pointed at him. 

“Your words say 'Daeus', but that smug face says 'Hades',” she noted. 

“Surely even _you_ can puzzle out the one difference between us,” Hythlodaeus added with a smirk of his own. 

She glanced at him and cautiously called a name. 

“H-Hades?” she whispered. “The one difference...” 

Eudora gasped. Hythlodaeus sensed her open herself up to see their souls. The faint shiver barely registered as it trickled down his spine. She glared at them. 

“_That_ is definitely not fair! Hiding both your souls away! Why even do this?! You told Daeus this was a vacation for him!” 

“There’s something we need to know,” Hythlodaeus said, imitating Hades’ gentler inflections. “We thought to use this occasion to find out.” 

“And what’s that?” 

“How you truly feel,” Hades replied softly. 

“Why not just _ask_?!” she spat, crossing her arms. 

“This is far less _boring_,” Hythlodaeus smirked. 

“And you know how one of us absolutely _despises_ tedium,” Hades added. 

“You are partial to tricks, are you not?” 

“Consider this to be one.” 

“Granted, you _are_ the one being tricked.” 

“Again.” 

Eudora closed her eyes and shook her head as if to clear it. 

"Stop doing the whole taking turns talking thing; it makes me dizzy.” She sighed at the pair. “What do I even call you?” 

They glanced sideways at each other. 

“We didn’t consider that,” Hades confessed. 

“Well, ‘you’ will do for now,” Hythlodaeus suggested. “Although, we can answer to either name.” 

Her eyebrows drew together as she studied them, face slowly turning into a scowl. She pointed an accusatory finger at both of them. 

“Whichever one of you is Daeus, know that I expected far better from you!” 

Hades smirked and Hythlodaeus followed suit, despite the feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

_My apologies, Dori, but I need to be sure that you won’t accidentally hurt Hades. _


	7. Indecision

Eudora returned to the shaded table outside the café with three icy drinks balanced between her hands. She set them down in front of the identical men and sat across from them before claiming one of the glasses for herself. 

The same relieved smile crossed both faces as they reached for the remaining two glasses—one with his right hand and the other with his left. Eudora’s brow furrowed under her white mask at the observation.

“Wait, one of you is off-handed?” 

“Really now, Dori, you never noticed?” the man using his left hand asked. 

“Or perhaps it’s an attempt to throw you off,” the other added.

The woman tightly clutched the glass in her hand, trying to keep herself from throwing it at the two men. Despite her growing frustration, she thought back and tried to remember if she had noticed either man preferring his left hand. 

_Hades is right-handed, right? That’s usually his snapping hand. I don’t know that I’ve ever noticed which hand Daeus writes with._

A realization came to her and she smiled around the straw in her mouth as she took a sip of the fruity drink.

“We’ll head to my place once we’re done here so I can start sorting through my things,” she announced. “That means, according to what was agreed on back in Amaurot, Hades will go with me while Daeus gets the day off.”

“Perfectly alright,” said the left-handed one.

“Don’t worry; I’ll keep myself entertained,” assured the right-handed one. “You will have to tell me where to find you, however.”

Eudora stared at him, receiving an innocent smile for her efforts. She shifted her focus to find the other one nonchalantly slurping up the last of his drink.

“You wouldn’t come clean that easily,” she thought aloud. “So either Daeus is going with me and Hades is going to wander the city…”

“Or it’s a double bluff,” Left added helpfully.

“In which case we stick with the original plan,” Right explained with a smile.

Her head dropped to the table with a groan.

“I’m getting a headache.”

“I’ve heard that can happen with cold drinks,” Right chirped.

She glared at Left before he could speak. Instead, he chuckled around the straw he was chewing. The other one finished his drink and set down his glass. 

Pushing back the encroaching headache, Eudora drank what was left in her glass and summoned a paper to her hands. She put it in the center of the table while dissipating their empty drinks—including Left’s straw, which brought a slight pout to his lips.

“Alright, this is my address. Whichever one _isn’t_ going to help me, can take it and enjoy his day in the city.”

The identical twins exchanged a glance. A moment passed before Left smirked at Right. 

“Enjoy your day, dear brother. You’ve earned it.”

“Remember not to overwork yourself, dearest brother; you aren’t as strong as you believe yourself to be.”

Right took the paper with his left hand and carefully folded it before slipping it into his pocket. He flashed the glaring woman a smile and walked off down a small side street covered in shade. A straw appeared in Left’s right hand and he resumed chewing on its end. She turned her attention to him.

“Does this mean you’re Hades?”

“Do you really think we’d make it that simple?” he countered.

“Which implies you’re Daeus.”

“Counterargument: it implies we’re doing our best to keep you guessing.”

Eudora glared a fresh set of daggers at him.

“The only implication is that you’re both horrible. I really, sincerely thought Daeus wouldn’t go along with this for a _second_ time.”

The man leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table twisting the straw in one hand.

“Do not underestimate how much Daeus cares for Hades. He may be the gentler of the two, but even a smouldering fire can burn.”

Her heart dropped at the intensity in the man’s voice. She peered at the covered eyeholes of his white mask in the hopes of getting a sense of what emotions his eyes held. Of course, she saw nothing.

“You make it sound like he’s protecting Hades; like I need to prove myself to him. It almost feels like a trial.”

“Perhaps it is, in a sense.”

“But why?” she growled. “Why do I need to prove myself to _him_?!”

He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. Eudora felt his gaze hone in on her.

“Because we are brothers; in bond if not by birth. We are all we have.”

A soft frown tilted her mouth downwards.

_Does that make this Daeus?_ she wondered. _If he wants to test me, then it would make sense for him to be the one to spend the day with me. But then where did that straw come from? Hades can’t give him the ability to manipulate aether; there isn’t a known remedy to the condition._

“That was a non-answer. I’m friends with both of them; Daeus knows I wouldn’t hurt Hades.”

“Not intentionally.”

The words caught her off guard. She eyed the man warily.

“What does that mean?” 

“Hades has been hurt before.”

“By whom?”

The man tilted his head as if to glance away; his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed and brought the straw back to his mouth so he could chew on it. A moment passed before his reply came.

“You won’t learn that answer today,” he said softly. 

Her heart broke at the pain in his voice.

_Is this Hades, then? He is bound to tell the truth, which would explain the convoluted responses._

A foreign feeling flared up within her. It settled into her stomach, twisting it into knots.

_Someone hurt Hades enough to make Daeus protective of him. Does that mean that Hades once..._

Her heart fluttered against her ribs. It sent her blood rushing through her veins. Her hands trembled at the sudden surge of emotion; she tucked them close to her body, disguising the movement as her crossing her arms. Despite her efforts, she sensed the man opposite her study the reaction.

The straw vanished when he stood up from his seat. Purple-toned hair fell over his white mask as he looked down and offered his hand to her.

“Shall we?”

Eudora eyed the hand. She couldn’t quite explain it, but something about the motion felt _wrong_. It was almost as if it had been practiced. Her gaze moved back to the man’s face.

“Which one are you?”

“Does it matter?”

“Of course; I won’t treat Daeus the way I treat Hades.”

He tilted his head to one side as his hand fell back into place.

“And why is that?”

She stood with a scoff.

“That’s a pointless question. Daeus would already know the reason and I’d expect Hades to have figured it out by now. Otherwise, he’s more hopeless than I thought.”

A faint smirk flitted over the man’s lips before he regained control of himself. He turned to look at each of the streets leading away from where they had been sitting.

“Well then, where’s home?”

“You didn’t answer my question,” she said, walking down one of the streets without warning.

He chuckled and fell into step beside her.

“Why should I if you didn’t answer mine?”

Eudora lightly smacked him in the arm.

“Maybe I should just call you ‘Hades’.”

“Does that mean you’ve decided which one I am?”

“Just means you’re being annoying,” she smirked, glancing at him to see his reaction.

The man stopped in his tracks, one hand coming up to his chest while the other flew out to the side and his jaw dropped in mock indignation. 

“A blow right to my very _core_!” he cried. “However shall I recover from such a wound?”

Her lips threatened to curl into a smile. Instead, she took him by the hand and gently pulled him along.

“The hard part about all this is that Hades is easy to imitate. Just throw out all your inhibitions, be as dramatic as possible, and weave in a bit of complaining and you have a perfect imitation. He really should have been an actor instead of the Architect.”

“Ah, should I try my hand at Daeus, then?” he asked, voice softening to Hythlodaeus’ typical tone. 

When he slowed down and slipped his hand out of hers, Eudora looked back to find him adjusting the scarf to drape over his head. He resumed walking alongside her, tugging the peak and sides of his makeshift hood until he was satisfied with how it covered him.

She stared in surprise at the change that had come over the man as they continued in silence to her home.


	8. One Lies, One Tells the Truth

Thalassa, the floating city on the coast, was smaller than Amaurot. Then again, most cities were smaller than the capital. The buildings were much shorter than the towering spires in Amaurot and the streets were narrower, but the city had its own beauty, shining in the sunlight thanks to its white buildings and colored by the flowers growing everywhere. The city was arranged in an upward spiral, with slanted streets and stairs cutting through levels for ease of access. 

Eudora led the man to a residential district somewhere close to the central level of the spire. Her old neighbors called out as they recognized her walking down the street. She waved and greeted each one with a smile. One of the more shameless, older neighbors yelled out from where she sat in her window.

“Leave it to Dori! Goes off to join the Convocation and comes back with a tall, lanky, and handsome young friend! What’s his name?”

She turned to address the old woman, catching a glimpse of her friend’s flushed cheeks.

“Not telling! I’d like to actually keep this one, you old thief!” 

The neighbor cackled as Eudora took the man’s hand and led him down a few steps. They stopped at a door set into the hill that the other buildings sat on. She glanced at him while she traced a glyph into the door. It softly glowed before swinging open.

“You can ignore Old Nei,” she said, pulling him into her dimly lit home with one hand while removing her mask with the other. “Lukos says she’s been terrorizing the city since he was a little boy.”

The man scoffed and took off his mask, pushing the scarf back so it settled around his shoulders and neck. Eudora set about pulling the curtains back from the sole window to let in sunlight while he spoke.

“I find it difficult to believe that man was ever little. He looks more like he sprouted, fully grown, from the star itself.”

She stifled a laugh.

“To be honest, sometimes he acts like it.”

The woman spread her arms out to her sides and grinned at the man.

“Welcome to my home!” she announced. “Make yourself comfortable while I sort out the stuff in my room.”

Pale yellow eyes studied the small, cluttered space. She could almost feel his silent judgement as he took in the discarded clothes strewn over a dining chair, the half-abandoned concepts scattered over the table and drafted on old, torn paper, and the books overflowing from two bookshelves onto the floor and the windowsill, partially blocking out some of the light. The only truly clear space was an armchair by the window—an island in a sea of books. 

His eyes drifted to the partially open bedroom door, through which she knew he could see her experiments into botanical concepts. An eyebrow arched over one eye as he focused on her.

“Dori, might I suggest finding a maid when we return to Amaurot?” he asked in a concerned voice. “Or at the very least learning how to _organize_?”

She felt her face heat up under his scrutiny.

“Life was a little hectic around the time Elidibus invited me to Amaurot,” she explained, gently kicking a ball of paper under a dining chair. “I was preparing to present a few concepts when I had to drop everything; I was only able to dissipate a few things into aether to take with me. Not to mention, as I’m sure you can see, this is a _lot_ smaller than the place whichever one of you made, which means I don’t have anywhere to put anything so organizing is out of the question.”

He smirked at her, cautiously approaching a stack of books as tall as him to study the titles on the spines.

“So you still aren’t sure if I’m Hades or Daeus?” he asked.

“I mean, I have an idea.”

The man smirked at her over his shoulder. His eyes sparkled with silent laughter.

“Don’t lie.”

“I am not!”

He carefully made his way over to her and crossed his arms. By the time he spoke, his smirk had widened into a confident smile.

“Then name me.”

Eudora matched his pose, leaning forward to peer into his eyes.

“I won’t give you that satisfaction.”

She saw faint confusion flit through his yellow eyes—and smirked.

“I’ll wait until our friend joins us and _then_ I’ll say who I think is whom. ‘Til then, you can make yourself at home while I… try to fix things.”

He glanced around, lightly tapping a finger on his chin in thought. 

“Allow me,” he said shortly before snapping.

The crinkled papers covering the table sorted themselves into two neat piles; a book appeared on top to keep them in place. The window slid open, gently knocking the books from the sill onto the floor and into a stack that slid flush against the wall. The books surrounding the armchair piled themselves into the space between the chair and the two bookshelves while a few added themselves to the existing stacks. Through the window came a faint ocean breeze that helped refresh the air in the apartment.

Eyes wide at what she had seen, Eudora stared at the man. A smug, satisfied smirk slowly twisted his lips as he settled into the armchair and crossed his legs, folding his hands in his lap.

“Were you wrong, dear Dori?”

She swallowed, hoping to buy time before she had to respond.

_Daeus couldn’t have done that, but they both know that **I** know that which means they must have some sort of workaround considering neither would have come this far just to blow it with something as easy as “manipulating aether”. Which means Hades is either pulling a double bluff, or he’s helping Daeus somehow. _

For a moment, she considered ignoring the taunt and focusing on what she had come back to Thalassa to do. Instead she closed her eyes and reached out with her soul to the man in the armchair. It quickly hit the wall hiding his soul, which she found to be indistinguishable from the one typically protecting that of Hades.

An idea occurred to her. Her soul twisted around the barrier, poking and prodding in search of any gaps where the hidden soul was typically visible. The man tensed during her investigation. A rustle tipped her off that he was moving. Her eyes opened a split second before he pulled her into his arms. His hand came up to lightly brush his fingertips against her cheek.

“If you’re that curious, there are other ways to go about it,” he said softly. 

Her stomach flipped as she studied his face, trying to figure out which twin was currently holding her and lightly stroking the small of her back with his other hand. While her heart wanted nothing more than to relax into him and his warm smile, alarms were going off in her head—blaring warnings that this shouldn’t even be a question. She took a deep breath in an attempt to refocus. 

Her eyes widened. 

Eudora pushed herself out of the man’s hold. His eyes narrowed as he took a step back to keep his balance. She jabbed a finger in his direction.

“Don’t you _dare_ do that again while the two of you look alike,” she spat. “Sit down and wait for him to arrive. Pick a book if you’re bored. I’m going to work on sorting out my bedroom.”

Ignoring whatever the man’s reaction could have been, Eudora turned around and stormed through the door and into her room.

The knock at her front door was barely audible in her bedroom. Eudora surveyed her progress with pride. The woman had managed to organize everything within the room into what she would dissipate to pack and what she would leave in her coastal home.

She heard movement in the other room and hurried to intercept the man before he could answer the door.

“Oh no you don’t!” she hissed, blocking him from the door. “Last thing I need is for the two of you to switch places on me after I finally have you figured out. Sit back down.”

The man held his hands up in defeat and returned to the armchair, picking up the book he had set aside. 

Satisfied, Eudora opened the door to the twin of the man sitting by the window—the scarf draped over his head and his white mask being the only difference.

“Enjoy the city?” she asked, stepping aside.

“Very much so,” he smiled. “It really is lovely.”

She waved her hand at a dining chair, dissipating the clothes on it, and flicked her wrist. The chair disappeared only to reappear beside the armchair. She pointed at it.

“Sit.” 

The man removed his mask to show a raised eyebrow, but he obediently took a seat. Eudora planted herself in front of the two and crossed her arms.

“Hades, you really are an ass, you know that?” she asked, addressing the twins. “And I specify you, because I know this was your idea—just like last time. I don’t know what, exactly, you planned to get out of it this time, but I just wanted you to know that _you_ are an ass.”

She paused to look from one to the other.

“That said, I know which one you are and I’ll have you admit it to me.”

The men exchanged a glance before she continued.

“The funny thing is that Hades, as the current Emet-Selch, is bound by the law of his office to tell the truth. Yes, he can stretch it to its very limits, but he cannot outright _lie_. Last time, he managed to pass himself off as Daeus because that’s who I assumed I was with and had no reason to think otherwise.”

Eudora smirked at the pair, cocking her head to one side.

“This time, you openly told me that you switched places, which means I get to directly ask who you are. And let me remind you, that you _specifically_ said you would never lie to me.”

She moved to stand in front of the twin in the armchair. He watched her, legs still crossed and hands folded over the book in his lap.

“What will he claim his name to be?” she asked, jerking her head in the other man’s direction.

His pale-eyed gaze lazily swept over to study his twin before returning to Eudora. A faint smile played over his face.

“Hythlodaeus.”

She nodded and focused on the man who had spent the day in the city. He calmly studied the woman as she placed herself in front of him, leaning over to rest her hands on the armrests of her dining chair. Eudora smirked at him and peered deeply into his pale yellow eyes.

“What is _your_ name?”

From the corner of her eye, she caught the tight clench of his jaw as his eyes darted to look at the man beside him. She faintly saw the other man shrug his shoulders. The man between her arms sighed and shook his head.

“How did you figure it out?” Hades asked.

Eudora smiled at him before turning her head to look at Hythlodaeus in the armchair. 

“He’s pretty good at pretending to be you; I was second-guessing myself most of the day,” she confessed. “How did you manipulate aether?”

“A magician doesn’t reveal his secrets,” Hythlodaeus teased with a warm smile. “But the short answer is Hades.”

She quietly chuckled at the response and turned her attention back to Hades. She carefully took the edge of his collar between her thumb and forefinger.

“There were two things that helped me figure it out,” she said softly. “The first is that your clothes always smell of flowers. I noticed it the day of my trial when you saved me from the falling column.”

Hades lifted his chin as her hand traced the collar closer to his neck. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

“And the second?” he whispered.

Eudora pulled him towards herself by the collar and kissed his cheek without any warning. Hades briefly tensed before trying to free himself from her grip. She smiled at the reaction and released him, lowering her hand to lightly rest on one of the hands that were clutching the armrests.

“That was the second tell. He was too forward.” She glanced at the other man. “Part of the act, I hope?”

“Of course. I would never do that to him.”

“Of course,” she echoed before focusing on Hades. “Did you learn what you needed to learn?”

His brows hesitantly drew together and he looked over at Hythlodaeus. Eudora sensed a silent exchange take place between them. When it was over, Hades took a deep breath, exhaled, and nodded. He seemed to relax, much to her surprise, and took her hand in his.

“I think I did,” he confessed. “At least, I’d _like_ to think so.”

A mischievous smirk bent his lips. The man pulled her forward, drawing a surprised cry from her throat. He caught her before she could completely fall onto him and kissed her on the cheek.


	9. A Brother's Blessing

Eudora turned over in her bed with a soft smile, basking in the warmth of her blanket and the calming sound of the ocean. Despite not having been away that long, the woman had missed waking up in her own bed and the comforting sounds to which she had grown accustomed.

She had gone out on the town with her two friends after revealing which one was Hades and shown them all of her favorite places. The trio didn’t return until early morning and even then, they stayed up talking for a few more bells. When they had finally decided to turn in for the night (technically “the morning”), Hades had helped her clear a space in her living room where the two men could sleep. 

A faint noise drew her attention to the closed bedroom door, making her finally open her eyes. Judging from the light creeping around her drawn curtains, it was sometime after noon; a glance at her clock confirmed it. She craned her head up from her pillow at the sounds of someone cooking.

A muffled gasp caught her attention, followed by Hythlodaeus hissing the other man’s name.

“Hades! What are you doing?”

The man let out a strangled cry as if he was trying to keep quiet. Eudora’s forehead creased in confusion as she stared at her door.

“Stop! You’re going to wake Dori.”

“You’re the one making all the noise,” Hades countered. “Besides, you said you wanted this.”

“What makes you think _now_ is a good time?” the other man hissed back.

Realizing that sitting in bed wasn’t going to give her any answers—especially considering the two men involved—Eudora put on a robe and opened her door.

She found Hythlodaeus standing in front of a counter and stove she did not remember having before, with Hades close behind him. The latter’s hands were wrapped around the end of the former’s now longer hair. The men froze and slowly turned to stare at her. Hythlodaeus at least had the courtesy to sheepishly blush.

“Am I still drunk or is this a weird sort of hangover?” she asked, crossing her arms. “What are the two of you even _doing_ to my life?”

Hythlodaeus lightly cleared his throat and stepped forward, setting aside the sizzling pan in his hand. A hand came up to tuck some of his loose hair behind an ear.

“I wanted to apologize for my part in what Hades and I did yesterday, so I thought to make you breakfast. Hades created what I needed while I fetched some fresh supplies.”

A gentle smile crept onto her face at the explanation. 

“And what about...” she prompted, motioning to the dark purple hair brushing his shoulders.

“Ah, that would be Hades being Hades.”

“I resent that,” the man interjected.

“No, you _resemble_ it.”

Hades scowled and snapped. Hythlodaeus’ hair shot down until it reached his waist. The long-haired man half-turned to observe the new length before locking eyes with Eudora and released a slow, heavy sigh. She bit her lower lip to keep from laughing at her friends’ antics. 

“Hades, should I even ask?” she said once certain that she could keep control.

The brunet man smirked before retreating to lounge in the armchair and explain.

“When I fixed our respective appearances, Daeus mentioned that he actually rather enjoyed the longer hair. I offered to lengthen it for him, but pointed out that it couldn’t be my length or we’d run into the problem of looking too identical, so he suggested perhaps something longer.”

“But this is excessive,” Hythlodaeus noted, draping the hair over one shoulder. “What do you do with hair this long?”

“Braid it. Tie it up. You can do all sorts of things,” Eudora offerred. “It isn’t much longer than mine. I can show you, if you’d like.”

Hythlodaeus shook his head, sending waves rippling halfway through the hair.

“Thank you, but I don’t think I like it. It’ll become a problem with my robes and hood.”

“I did it; I’ll fix it,” Hades called, motioning his friend over.

Hythlodaeus took a moment to stir whatever was in the pan before standing in front of Hades. Eudora watched Hades gather the hair in his hands and cut it by drawing a line across it with his finger. The excess hair dissipated into violet aether swirled with pale green as it fell to the floor. While the pair decided on a length in hushed tones, Eudora sat down at the cleared dining table.

“How can you manipulate Daeus’ aether?” she asked when Hades trimmed a little more off.

“It is atypical, isn’t it?” Hades conceded, ensuring the cut was even. “We aren’t the only case, but it is rare. The previous Halmarut studied the phenomenon, including us when we were younger. The short of it is that our aether is compatible, which means his body won’t reject mine.”

“And vice versa if I could manipulate mine,” Hythlodaeus added.

“In other words, while I can change any detail I like about Daeus’ appearance, I can’t help you if you want to change something about yourself,” Hades said, smirking over his twin’s shoulder.

Eudora rolled her eyes at the comment and considered his explanation.

“So it’s similar to when people’s souls are bonded,” she noted.

“That was the previous Halmarut’s first conclusion,” Hythlodaeus said while Hades fell silent. “The primary difference being that our compatibility is natural as opposed to cultivated—as seen in bonded partners.”

“True brothers,” she murmured pensively.

The men exchanged a glance before simultaneously eyeing her. She met their gazes and cocked a hand to one side.

“What?”

Hythlodaeus smiled at her while Hades shook his head and nudged the other man’s shoulder.

“There. It’s even,” he announced, sprawling back into the armchair. “If you want anything else changed, I’ll do it later since I’m sure Dori wants that breakfast you promised.”

The hair now fell just below Hythlodaeus’ shoulders. He gathered it high on the back of his head and held out a hand to Hades. The other man rolled his eyes while materializing a violet hair tie which he then handed over. Once his hair was secured in a bun, Hythlodaeus resumed cooking. 

Eudora watched him for a few minutes before her gaze wandered over to Hades in the armchair. He had propped his head up on one fist and closed his eyes. A smile wormed its way onto her face as she watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest and studied how the shadows fell over his face.

She faintly noticed Hythlodaeus glance at her before following her eyeline to Hades. He gave the pan a shake before walking over to her, brushing back some loose strands of hair as he leaned over to whisper.

“I think another chair would look rather well by the window now that there’s room, don’t you?”

Out of the corner of her eye she caught the curve of a smile on his lips. When she fully focused on him, he lightly nudged her with his elbow.

“Go; you’re almost as hopeless as he is,” he noted, jerking his thumb at Hades for emphasis.

When she stared at him blankly, he mimed snapping, tapped her chair, and pointed at the other man again. Eudora raised her eyebrows when she grasped the message.

“Does this mean I’ve passed your little trial?” she whispered.

A warm chuckle rumbled inside him.

“Do you really need to ask? Whatever will I do with two hopeless souls like you? Perhaps I should enjoy this vacation; it might be the last one I can take. I shudder to think what would happen should I leave both of you to fend for yourselves.”

Her heart skipped a beat. She hopped to her feet to hug Hythlodaeus and lightly kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you.”

He smiled and returned the gesture, holding her in place to whisper in her own ear.

“Think nothing of it, dear sister. Go and sit; I’ll take the food in a moment.”

The man released her and turned to finish plating their meal. 

Light as a cloud, Eudora spun in place to face where Hades still dozed in the armchair. The dining chairs dissipated only to reform on either side of the sleeping man. She claimed one of the seats for herself and lightly prodded the tip of Hades’ nose.

The man’s face twitched and he lazily brought up a hand to brush her finger away. Eudora smirked as she instead poked his hand. He tried to grab her, but she caught his hand instead. Hades’ eyebrows drew together while his eyes slowly opened. Her smirk softened into a smile and she lightly stroked his hand with her thumb.

“Food’s almost ready,” she reported. “Didn’t have your coffee?”

Hades shook his head.

“I could summon some up, but it won’t taste the same.”

“So you rather take a nap?”

“That was the plan until a little gnat came to wake me up,” he smirked as he idly traced a figure on her palm with his thumb.

“We’ll just eat your food next time,” Hythlodaeus interjected, walking over with three plates balanced in his arms.

Hades scoffed, but helped by taking two of the plates and giving one to Eudora. The woman smiled at the omelette and roasted tomatoes Hythlodaeus had prepared—and was especially impressed he had found fresh bread and butter. He perked up when she mentioned it after thanking him for the food.

“I noticed a sign when we were out yesterday advertising a Wildling marketplace. It’s actually where I got everything.”

Eudora beamed at the news.

“That’s wonderful! That means they got their permit back. I’ll have to pass by later and see if they’re still open.”

“Do they know what coffee is?” Hades asked.

“Not quite, but they have a tea that’s just as powerful,” she explained. “I’ll show you when we go.”

Hades stopped with a forkful of egg halfway to his mouth.

“I’m going, too?”

“Great! That’s very open-minded of you, Hades, to just volunteer like that. Especially considering how you reacted when you first met Lukos.”

Hythlodaeus coughed into his hand, doing his best to hide his laughter and smirk. Hades flinched when he realized what had happened. He scowled at Eudora, who innocently smiled at him. The man sighed in defeat and nodded, rolling his eyes as he resumed eating.

“Suppose it won’t hurt to compare their tea to my usual coffee,” he said. 

The other man caught her eye while Hades brought another bite to his mouth. They smirked at each other before the trio fell into conversation over breakfast.


	10. Know

Packing everything to move to Amaurot was easy, partly thanks to the cube Hades had brought with him. It stored the aether of the objects dismissed by Eudora so she could rematerialize them in her new home. As for whatever she was leaving, the cube created a copy of the concept so that she could easily recreate it. The process took most of the day, giving Hythlodaeus the free time he had been promised. 

Back in Amaurot the following day, the two men helped her arrange everything in what had once been her family’s apartment. Hades focused on reforming the items and Hythlodaeus physically adjusted them until everything was in place.

When they were finished the two men collapsed into the armchairs while Eudora stretched out on the plush sofa Hades had designed for her. The woman smiled as she sank into the material. She faintly registered the men’s chuckles and heard a snap. A moment later, a soft blanket draped over her. Snuggling into it, she caught a familiar floral scent shortly before she heard one of the men get to his feet.

“It is rather late,” Hythlodaeus noted. “If I’m not mistaken, isn’t there a session first thing tomorrow morning?”

Hades groaned. Loudly.

“I forgot all about that. Do you want to go instead? We aren’t covering anything confidential.”

“_No_,” Hythlodaeus said firmly. “And I’m leaving before you try to convince me otherwise. Good night, Dori.”

The woman idly waved good night without bothering to lift her head or even open her eyes. The sensation of Hades’ soul brushing against hers as he followed the other man brought a smile to her face. She reciprocated and felt him hesitate at the front door. After a moment, it opened and shut, leaving her alone. 

For a brief second, Eudora considered moving to her bedroom, but the sofa was so very comfortable and her new blanket…

She wrapped it closer with a smile, burrowing her face into the sofa’s armrest and tucking the edge of the blanket under her chin. The scent enveloped the woman as she relaxed into it. 

A gentle knock at her door brought her back from the precipice of sleep. She hummed absentmindedly and rolled over to face the backrest, confident that whoever was knocking would eventually go away. A second knock proved they were more stubborn than she had originally thought. 

Eudora cautiously reached out with her soul to see who was preventing her from falling asleep. She found a warm presence waiting for her, which gently surrounded her soul in an embrace made of midnight blue swirled with silver mist. 

A question was asked and a reply given; the door opened a moment later. The woman reluctantly lifted her head from the sofa and looked to find her mentor crossing the living room. His robe vanished as he approached, revealing his simple, well-worn traveling clothes and the white pelt of a creature wrapped around his shoulders.

“Is using the same glyph as your coastal home wise, little one?” Lukos asked.

“No one needs to know it’s the same,” she countered, partially sitting up. 

The white-haired man joined her on the sofa; she moved so as to rest her head in his lap. Black claws gently brushed through her blonde hair as she curled up against him, pulling the blanket close again. They sat in silence while he studied the apartment and she dozed, mostly aware but drawing ever closer to fully falling asleep.

“I like it.”

The faint rumble of the man’s voice nudged her back to consciousness. She mumbled her thanks, not wanting to fully wake.

“Did the boys help you?”

“My friends,” she murmured sleepily.

The petting hand lifted and she felt him gingerly shift in place without disturbing her. 

“Shall I move you to your bed?”

A noise in the back of her throat served as her only reply. 

Lukos carefully collected her in his arms and carried the woman into her bedroom. He laid her in bed and tucked the blanket around her. She caught his hand and held on to it, making him sit on the edge of the bed while she opened her eyes. 

A thought had occurred to her in her partially awake state. A frown settled onto her face as she realized how her question might affect the man, but she needed to know. His dark blue eyes patiently watched as she hesitantly asked her question.

“How… How did you know?”

“Know what, little one?”

“That _she_ was the one?”

Pain flashed through his eyes, leaving behind only grief. His gaze grew distant and she knew he had retreated into his thoughts. Eudora sat up with an apologetic frown, fidgeting with the edge of the violet blanket in her hands.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I know you don’t like talking about her.”

A clawed hand carefully enveloped both of hers. She looked up to find him studying her. Upon locking eyes, the woman felt ice run down her spine—as if he were looking directly into her soul. It reflexively coiled up into a tight ball, but she could still sense him prodding around and spying through her defenses. She idly made a note to ask Hades about how to protect one’s soul.

After a moment, his intense gaze softened and her soul relaxed. His hand gently stroked hers, mindful not to accidentally scratch her.

“You’re serious about this one,” he noted. 

Her face warmed. Eudora found herself unable to hold his gaze. Lukos let out a soft sigh. His hand retreated from hers so he could wrap the arm around himself in a loose hug while the hand of the other rested over his heart.

“I’m not sure that I could explain what I felt,” he said, closing his eyes. “I simply knew. It was… a silent certainty. It was natural. It was _right_.”

Her heart ached at the resigned sorrow in his voice. She caught a brief glimpse of the wound on his soul—a crystalized pale blue scar. Eudora scooted closer to the edge of her bed and hugged him. He slowly relaxed at her touch and wrapped an arm around her. Lukos nuzzled the top of her head before gently kissing it. 

“What would your parents think?” he wondered softly.

“Don’t care,” she decided before tilting her head back to look into his eyes. “What do _you_ think?”

A chuckle rumbled in his throat as he shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter,” he whispered.

“It does to me.”

The man sighed, pulling her close to nuzzle her again.

“Let me speak with him one more time. I will tell you then.”

Eudora frowned at his words. The man rarely volunteered to actually speak with people—much less citydwellers he hardly knew. A knot instinctively formed in her stomach when the woman recalled what she knew of Wildling culture. She grabbed a fistful of the white fur wrapped around his shoulders.

“Don’t hurt him.”

Her voice was quiet—fearful. She had seen first-hand what the Wildling could do and didn’t know if Hades could match him. An emotion flickered across his face too quickly for her to register it. His hands came up over hers to carefully pry them open.

“If I do, then he’s unworthy of you,” he reasoned. 

“Who decided _she_ was worthy?”

The question made Lukos tense. Two of his claws accidentally dug into her skin, causing her to flinch as two pinpricks of blood welled up. She released him, but he caught her hand by the wrist. Before she could say anything, he licked the spot, wiping off the blood and healing it in one motion. He cleaned the area with his sleeve and let go. 

“Lahabrea did; well before he was Lahabrea,” he confessed. “He knew something of my customs and volunteered when he realized my feelings for her. If you ever see the man unmasked, you’ll find a scar running from his nose, through his left eye, and across his temple into his hairline. The eye is useless, forcing him to use aetheric sight when he needs vision in both eyes.”

Mirth rumbled in his chest, almost like a purr.

“My beloved had the sharpest of thorns,” he noted, lips drawing into a fond smile. “As for the boy, I’ll do my best to exercise control.”

She frowned up at him, not fully comforted by his promise.

“Remember he isn’t a Wildling.”

“Neither are you, yet you can more than keep up with me.”

“And who was my teacher?” she countered, crossing her arms.

Another chuckle. Lukos leaned in to kiss her forehead and stood from the bed.

“Nothing will happen to the boy; he seems too stubborn to die,” he said. “Sleep well, my little one.”

Black robes enveloped the tall man as he left her room. The knot tightened in Eudora’s stomach. All thoughts of sleep had been swept from her mind. She hugged the violet blanket tighter around her to defend against the sudden chill.


	11. The Sorcerer's Trial

Hades walked alongside Lahabrea down the brightly lit Akadaemia hallway.

“I remind you, Emet-Selch, that we were to meet and exchange notes on illusion creation,” the man had said in the Capitol. 

With no pressing matters, Hades had agreed, asking an attendant to inform Hythlodaeus that he would be delayed in returning to the office. His thoughts idled on how Eudora had watched him leave with Lahabrea—and the whispered message her soul had given him.

_“Be careful.”_

He hadn’t immediately questioned her words. Now that he was deep in the Akadaemia, however…

“Of course, your technique is sound—from what I recall of your demonstrations in class—which is likely the basis for the spell’s strength.”

Lahabrea had actually spent the time talking. Of _course_ he had; it was literally the man’s job both before and after joining the Convocation. He was nothing if he was not speaking. 

Hades barely managed to appear interested in what seemed like a lecture from his school days. Then again, he faintly wondered if it was; he _had_ spent most of his time in class napping.

“Of course, if that’s all that mattered, illusions wouldn’t be considered one of the more difficult forms of aethereal creation. Those who have mastered the spells, however, insist it is less technique and more an attention to detail—which explains your ease with it. Your aptitude with minutiae is apparently what caught your predecessor’s attention.”

Hades rolled his eyes; Lahabrea’s words contradicted what he had been told by his predecessor, but he wasn’t about to correct the man and provoke a deluge of more words. 

The previous Emet-Selch had stepped down in favor of returning to their research. Due to the circumstances, they were able to handpick their successor instead of forcing the Convocation to search for one. The two had spent quite a bit of time together as the older Amaurotine groomed him for the position. As a result, he had quickly caught on to all of their eccentricities—a knack for mimicry being one of them. He could already hear them mocking Lahabrea in the man’s own voice.

_“Minutiae? Is this what the scholars in the Akadaemia are now calling ‘observational skills’? Of course; rather ridiculous of me to ask, isn’t it? Rather par for the course considering their insistence on using the older spelling for ‘Academia’ instead of modernizing with the rest of the world. **Their** details are easy to recall, aren’t they, Hades? They deal with books. Should they forget something, they can simply reference it anew. **Our** work is far more difficult. _

_“We must capture the very essence of life as it is lived and recreate the moment once it has passed—without reference. Recollection is an art and we, the artists. You could consider our specialty to lie in still lifes, boy. Poetic, isn’t it, seeing that we are traditionally aligned with the element of Death?”_

Hades considered sending a letter to the old Amaurotine. He would first have to confirm which city they had chosen to live in, but it would be as simple as checking the file he kept with their information.

The man drifted out of his thoughts to check if Lahabrea was still talking. Of course he was. He would probably die talking.

Light footsteps alerted Hades to the man walking behind them and slightly to Lahabrea’s left. He glanced over his shoulder to find Lukos had joined them. When the Wildling noticed he had Hades’ attention, he offered a faint half-smile and raised a clawed hand in silent greeting. The man responded with a nod. The movement apparently caught Lahabrea’s eye since he turned to address the newcomer.

“Good afternoon, Lukos. Finished your lecture for the day?”

The Wildling nodded. The question piqued Hades’ curiosity. 

“What is the focus of your lecture?” he asked the taller man.

“Less a lecture and more of joint research. I am currently working alongside the botanists, introducing them to feral variations of plants once cultivated within the walls. The similarities and differences are interesting to note. Certain traits have been lost or bred out, while others have been introduced—either purposefully or accidentally. We are interested in breeding the more beneficial wild traits into the domesticated species, to see what happens.”

“As long as they don’t mutate and start dragging their pots everywhere. _Again_,” Lahabrea said.

Lukos’ eyes glanced up to the ceiling.

“Don’t give me that,” the Speaker spat. “I know it only happened once, so far, but the botanists spent the better part of the following two days cleaning up the mess and fixing the damage done to the other nurseries.” 

“I warned them the mutation would happen. It’s not my fault they have dirt in their ears.”

Lahabrea then began lecturing the Wildling, who fell silent as the three men continued walking down the hallway.

After a few minutes, wherein Hades had retreated back into his thoughts, he felt something knock on the wall surrounding his soul. Hesitantly, he allowed part of it to peek out, only to discover it to be a faint, midnight blue tendril. He glanced up at the Wildling to see he was still focused on Lahabrea and grudgingly found himself admiring the man’s ability to split his attention.

The sliver of the man’s soul beckoned to him; the tendril’s tip flicked in its impatience. Hades reluctantly reached out and touched the tendril with a part of his own soul. A question immediately echoed in his mind.

_“Are you serious about Eudora?”_

His brow furrowed at the unexpected question, accidentally allowing his confusion to seep into their connection. A growl came back through; it seemed to reverberate through his very soul. 

_“Answer me.”_

Refusing to be intimidated by the Wildling, Hades withdrew his soul and glared up at him. 

“Why should I?” he asked, interrupting whatever Lahabrea had been saying.

The tall man’s dark blue eyes lit up at the challenge as he stopped in the middle of the hallway.

“Because if you are not, then I politely demand that you stop wasting her time.”

Hades scoffed.

“If this is what passes for politeness in your world, then you lot truly are savages.”

Lahabrea quietly murmured a few words and stepped back while Lukos bared his fangs in a snarl. Hades spent a rare moment reflecting if he had said the wrong thing before the Wildling’s snarl twisted into a mad grin. A faint prickling on the back of his neck informed him that perhaps he had—just this once.

The tall man’s robes vanished an instant before he charged at Hades. Claws dug into the front of the Architect’s robes as they shoved him against the wall, knocking the wind out of him. Lukos’ left hand reared back, tensed and ready to slash with its claws.

A burst of aether pushed the Wildling away, giving Hades a chance to recover. The other man growled something he couldn’t decipher at Lahabrea.

“Because you said you wanted to judge him and I imagine your _little one_ would not appreciate it if you outright slaughtered him with your bare hands,” Lahabrea scolded. “Besides, no fighting in the hallways; that’s why we have the training hall.”

Ice formed under the Wildling’s feet. With a flick of Lahabrea’s wrist and another burst of aether, the man skidded down to the end of the hallway and through the large doors. Hades stared, eyebrows raised in surprise under his mask. The other Convocation member turned to address him; his mouth was set in a grim line.

“That will be the one time I step in to help. I’m only here to treat any injuries,” Lahabrea explained. “He wants to test you; see if you are worthy in his eyes of claiming Shachar for yourself.”

The ice vanished from the floor as they approached the doors at the end of the hallway.

“This will be more than a simple sparring session, Emet-Selch. Lukos will likely hold nothing back. He prefers to fight by physical means, which is perfect since it leaves all the ambient aether at your disposal.”

They stopped in front of the closed doors. Hades considered the man’s advice before narrowing his eyes and looking at him sideways.

“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but why help me? I thought you were his friend.”

“Being his friend does not mean I want him to defeat you,” Lahabrea reasoned. “You were my student once and now my equal as a member of the Convocation of Fourteen. Your performance will reflect my skill as a professor and the standards of the Convocation as a whole.”

Hades nodded in understanding and dismissed the mask on his face. The aether comprising the clothes under his robes shifted, transforming them into light armor that would protect him but not impede his movement. He took a step forward to open the door. While he could not see Lahabrea’s raised eyebrow due to the man’s mask, it was somehow evident in his voice.

“No weapon? Do you trust the strength and speed of your barriers that much?”

“I do,” he confessed with a smirk. “Permit me to remind you, dear Lahabrea, that you have never seen me _actually try_ in a fight.”

The man smirked in response.

“Arrogant, yet promising if true,” he noted. “I had a final word of warning, but I think I’ll keep it to myself after that. Instead, I’ll give you something more general: Be careful.”

Eudora’s message echoed in his mind, giving him pause. A nagging feeling tugged at the base of his brain as if to emphasize the warning. 

Hades rested his hand against the door to anchor himself then opened up his senses. He lowered the wall around his soul, flinching as everything was suddenly brighter and more intense. Lahabrea’s red and black soul froze in shock when he glanced back at the man. The reaction made him chuckle before directing his focus on the training hall beyond the door.

It was empty. 

He stared at the door in surprise and scanned the room again. His jaw clenched as he realized the Wildling must have hidden his soul. The nagging feeling worsened as he hazarded a guess as to the man’s strategy. 

The colors in Hades’ world dimmed as he withdrew his soul and erected the usual defenses around it. He took a step back from the door while collecting some of the ambient aether for his first move. Raising his hand and preparing it to snap, he quietly warned Lahabrea.

“You may want to hug the wall.”

The man nodded, moving away from the door and closer to the wall.

Hades snapped.

Aether cloaked the man as his invisibility spell took effect. At the same instant, the large doors burst open, swinging into the room. 

Nothing happened.

He had half-expected the man to charge out of the training hall, but the room remained still as the echo of the doors opening faded away. Hades cautiously crept towards the doorway, doing his best to muffle his footsteps. He sidled up against one of the doors, easing himself forward until he could peer around it to find the vacant space behind it.

Footsteps behind him. Hades dove forward in time to miss the sword swung at chest level. Once his feet were beneath him, he turned to find the Wildling stalking towards him while wearing armor.

“I’ve hunted prey far stealthier than you,” Lukos warned. 

He bit his tongue to keep from replying to the taunt. Instead, Hades circled around the man in search of an opening, but he continued tracking him. Realizing that invisibility wouldn’t work, Hades switched tactics, summoning a staff made from his crystalized aether into his hands. 

The ambient aether covering him pooled at his feet, revealing him to his opponent before it split off into three violet puddles; from each one rose another Hades with staves of their own. His three copies joined him in rushing at the Wildling, who backed off while blocking their attacks with his sword.

The four versions of Hades fell back after a few strikes, surrounding the man. Lukos studied each one as they took identical stances, readying for another attack. He made a sound somewhere between a snort and a scoff.

“Which of these is Daeus? I would hate to harm him.”

“Did you really think I’d drag him into _this_?” the Hades to Lukos’ right asked. 

Ignoring the distraction, Lukos lashed out at the Hades on his left. It exploded in a burst of aether, knocking the Wildling to the ground while leaving the others unaffected. 

The remaining three pounced on the man and kicked away his sword. They pinned his limbs to the ground with the ends of their staves and their feet while one pressed down on Lukos’ chest with his foot.

“Is this what everyone was warning me about?” asked the Hades standing on his chest. 

The smirk on the central Hades’ face was soon mirrored by the one standing at Lukos’ shoulder and the one pinning his feet. The Wildling chuckled at the question. He tilted his head to address the Hades at his shoulder.

“For someone who seems to specialize in illusions, you have a lot to learn about their properties.”

Hades held his expression while the illusion on the man’s chest snarled and leaned his full weight on the Wildling. Lukos bared his fangs in a pained grin, never looking away from the real Hades.

“If you insist.”

The man’s sword flashed up and forward. It pierced the illusion’s chest up to the hilt, pushing it off Lukos so it could safely explode. With one hand freed, he snatched the end of Hades’ staff and, in one smooth sweep, used it to throw the man off balance before continuing the motion to strike the remaining illusion in the side of the head. Lukos leapt to his feet and stabbed the prone illusion through the heart, bracing himself against the resulting explosion.

Hades glared as the man threw the staff at his feet. Lukos’ sword appeared in its owner’s hand, who casually dropped into his battle stance.

“Enough tricks,” growled the Wildling. “Get up and fight.”

“Is my goal to defeat you?” Hades asked, picking himself up from the ground and taking up his staff. 

“Your goal is to prove yourself worthy of my little one.”

“Worthy according to whom?” he countered. “The only person who should be deciding this isn’t _here_.”

Lukos smirked. 

“I gave you the chance to argue your worth via words, but you instead chose to insult me. Now we do it my way.”

The man instantly closed the gap and stabbed towards Hades. He barely parried it with the staff before Lukos changed direction and swung it back in an arc aimed at his head. The end of Hades’ staff struck the floor, summoning a burst of violet aether that pushed Lukos away from him. 

“Right then. Gloves are off.”

Hades released his staff and allowed it to float on his right side; the red glyph of Emet-Selch appeared in front of his face. Collecting more of the ambient aether, he brought his right hand up to his left shoulder. The staff followed the motion, angling itself across his body while the aether coalesced into a dark cloud around him and waited for his order. 

“_Yes_,” Lukos hissed, mad grin returning to his face.

The Wildling charged. Hades swung his hand forward and snapped. The staff flashed forward to intercept the man. The sword swung to knock it aside, but the crystalized aether easily absorbed the blow. Lukos struck again, but the staff caught his sword and drew his arms up. 

Knives materialized out of the cloud surrounding Hades. When he nodded, a volley flew towards the man’s exposed chest. Lukos grabbed at the staff to use it, but the weapon dissipated the moment he touched it, leaving him only with his sword. He deflected most of them, but two found their marks in his abdomen and bicep. 

Hades lifted his chin and another volley of knives readied themselves behind him; his staff reappeared at his side. Lukos pulled out the two knives embedded in him with a pained grunt, ignoring the blood that flowed from them. He added them to the other knives littering the floor around him and charged again. 

The staff moved to intercept the man again. This time, the Wildling caught it with the claws of his free hand. His own aether surged through the crystals, dyeing them pale blue before the staff shattered. Taking advantage of the distraction, Hades released the knives in Lukos’ direction. A barrier appeared around the man as he ran into the onslaught, sword ready to strike. 

The sword flashed in an arc. Hades raised his arm along with a barrier. The spell shattered in one blow, drawing a pained hiss out of the man as the blade cut into the gauntlet beneath his sleeve and struck flesh. Lukos’ free hand grabbed Hades by the neck and lifted him off the ground. A victorious grin spread across the swordfighter’s face.

Hades tutted, waggling a finger at the Wildling. A smirk came to his face as he snapped. Lukos found himself holding the reformed staff while Hades stood up from where the broken staff had fallen. The sorcerer pointed upwards and jerked his chin down. 

Knives rained down on Lukos before the man could react. When it was over, the man lay on the ground, covered in cuts and surrounded by whichever knives hadn’t missed their mark.

Hades breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed the man was still and dismissed the glyph of Emet-Selch. He winced, finally acknowledging the burning pain in his forearm. Carefully prodding it with his finger, he found the sword had cut cleanly through his armored gauntlet and left a deep gash on his arm. Before he could call out to Lahabrea, Hades noticed something twitch amongst the knives.

To Hades’ surprise, Lukos _moved_. The man gingerly pushed himself to his knees as Hades cautiously approached and did his best not to focus on how the knives sticking out the man’s back seemed to _undulate_ along with his movements. 

A grimace etched itself across the Wildling’s face when he turned to look at Hades. It shifted into a smirk as he leaned down to slide his sword away. The weapon skittered across the floor, scattering some of the black knives.

“I forfeit,” he announced.

“I don’t think you have much of a choice,” Hades reasoned while Lahabrea joined them.

Lukos loosed a bark of laughter. He brought up a knee and leveraged himself to his feet. The bloodied man pulled out whichever knives he could reach, flinching at the pain, and dropped them at his feet.

“I’ve fought through worse,” he snarled.

A stool appeared beside the injured man. Lahabrea waved him into it.

“Stop making it worse and sit down before your adrenaline runs out. I don’t need you to fall over and bury those knives in any deeper. I’m already going to need Mitron’s help with healing you; we don’t need to add ‘surgery’ to the list.”

The Wildling obeyed while Lahabrea focused on Hades.

“If I recall correctly, he only got your arm?”

Hades nodded and rolled back his left sleeve for the man, revealing the bloodied gauntlet beneath. Lahabrea held his hand over the wound, stitching it shut with ambient aether.

“That should hold until you get to the medical ward so they can tend to it. When you get there, tell Mitron to come here with the supplies I asked him to prepare. Tell him that I was wrong and that he _will_ need the blood transfusion kit.”

Another nod from Hades. He dismissed the aetheric knives, making sure to keep the ones still lodged into Lukos tangible so he wouldn’t lose _more_ blood. As he made for the door, the man called out to him. Hades faced the Wildling to find him looking paler under all the blood.

“When you see her, tell my little one that I was right in my first judgement of you.”

Hades bristled at the statement.

“And what _exactly_ does that mean?”

Lukos smirked.

“Relax, little one. She can explain better, but in short: I like you. It’s a phrase I don’t say that often—much less about a citydweller—so be content with the fact I have now said it twice about you.”

Before Hades could question the man, Lahabrea shooed him off, demanding that he hurry to the medical ward. He nodded and left the room, turning sharply to access the first shortcut back to the rest of the Akadaemia.


	12. Cookies

“You’ll have to give me an idea, if you want me to teach you, Dori.”

Hythlodaeus sat with Eudora in the kitchen Hades had designed for her. They were at the small table that was tucked away in a corner of the room, under the kitchen window. The man nursed a cooling cup of tea while Eudora nibbled on the cookies he had brought her and occasionally dunked one into her own tea.

“Anything, really,” she shrugged. “It’s not like I know the first thing about cooking.”

She paused, thoughtfully chewing on a cookie.

“What is the first thing about cooking?” she asked.

“Knowing what you’re going to make.”

“Oh. I suppose that makes sense.”

The blonde woman nudged the cookie tin closer to Hythlodaeus’ hand. He shook his head and poked it back across the table.

“I got this for _you_,” he reminded her. “Even if I hadn’t, I don’t want any right now.”

She frowned down at the grey tin between them. Hythlodaeus spoke before she could voice her thoughts.

“No, it will be neither a shame nor a waste if there are cookies left over. That simply means you’ll have cookies later.”

Her silver eyes widened as they locked with his pale gold eyes. 

“How do you do that?” 

The man blushed despite the proud smirk tugging at his lips.

“I already told you: a magician doesn’t reveal his secrets.”

Eudora stared, raising an eyebrow before she flicked a crumb at him. The pair fell into silence as they sipped their tea. Hythlodaeus felt her watching him as he gazed through the window at the people flowing into and out of the Akadaemia. After a few minutes, he mentally began counting down from ten. 

“Daeus?” she asked the moment after he hit “zero”. “I thought I had asked you this already, but then I realized I had actually asked Hades the day both of you switched places.”

He prompted her to continue with an inquisitive tilt of his head.

“Why aren’t you bonded?”

He silently stared at her as he tilted his head further. She stammered at the reaction.

“I-it’s just th-that if any of us were to be bonded, I would have thought it was you. You’re so kind and gentle and thoughtful that I was sure you would have been snatched up by now.”

Hythlodaeus silently considered her question and subsequent explanation. Her face slowly turned pink, then red, under his regard. 

“You don’t have to answer,” she finally said, biting down on a cookie and crossing her arms.

The purple-haired man smiled at the reaction and shook his head. He fetched the teapot from where he had left it on the counter and refilled their cups as he countered with a question of his own.

“What makes you think I’m not?”

The color on her face deepened to scarlet. Her hands dropped to her lap and she fiddled with the hem of her navy blue blouse.

“I-I just assumed seeing as how you’re always alone or with Hades or with me. I’m not sure that I’ve ever really seen you with anyone else or heard you mention going somewhere with someone.”

Hythlodaeus studied the fidgeting woman a moment longer before breaking the tension with a laugh. Eudora stared at him, realized what he had done, and threw a half-eaten cookie at him—which only made him laugh harder.

“You’re worse than Hades,” she spat while her soul coiled around itself in annoyance.

“I’m sorry, dearest Dori; I couldn’t resist,” he confessed, wiping a tear from his eye. “I suppose I _have_ been around Hades too long. As an apology, I’ll answer your question honestly.”

She perked up at his words and gave him her full attention. 

“To start with, I’m not bonded. I don’t know that I ever will be. I… thought I had found the right person, but it didn’t work out.”

“Your fault or theirs?”

“Does it matter?”

“I can’t imagine it being yours.” She took a sip of her tea.

Hythlodaeus flashed her a sad smile as he leaned his elbows on the table and idly traced the rim of his tea cup with one finger.

“It was partly my fault and partly...”

The words caught in his throat, suddenly unwilling to come out. The other man’s eyes came to mind—so familiar and yet _not_. They understood each other too well; it would never work between them. Hythlodaeus recalled the last night they spent together, exchanging the gentlest of touches and kisses before both men agreed to find eternity in other people. His heart sank at the memory.

Eudora wilted at his silence; even her soul dimmed to a glow. She reached across the table and cupped his hands with hers. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It seems like all I can do lately is bring back bad memories.”

Pushing away the thoughts and aches, the man painted a smile on his face and softly kissed the back of her hand.

“They’re not ‘bad memories’. I am glad to have them, even if recalling them still leads to some sadness.”

The frown persisted on his friend’s face. He reached out with his soul and wrapped it around hers in a gentle embrace. The look in her silver eyes softened as he brought his emotions close enough for her to sense them. 

“Yes, it still hurts a little bit,” he whispered, “and I… I do sometimes miss him in that sense, but… I believe the term is ‘bittersweet’. I enjoyed my time with him and it’s not like I never see him anymore. We just aren’t… you know. We’ve both seen other people. To my knowledge he hasn’t had much luck either.”

Her soul relaxed into his and the two mingled at their very edges. He sensed the sadness brought on by his explanation and a faint flicker of hope at his last words.

“Maybe the two of you should try again,” she suggested.

Hythlodaeus shook his head and retracted his soul.

“Once was enough. What about you?” he asked, hoping to change her mood. “You seem to be unbonded yourself—at least for the moment.”

The blonde woman tensed and blankly blinked at him. He flashed her a mischievous smirk that made her turn deep red.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she muttered before quickly hissing. “_How do you even do that? It’s like a light switch._”

“Oh, but you _do_ know, don’t you?” he drawled as she suddenly found something outside her apartment utterly fascinating. He noted her blush reaching her ears. “Tall, dark-haired, yellow-eyed? A face that’s perfect for punching—so I say, despite bearing an eerily similar one. I would like to think the difference is his smugness. A colleague who did everything within his power as Architect and even called in a favor or two to secure this apartment for you.”

Her head snapped to face him and her eyes locked with his.

“What?”

He dropped the imitation and resumed his typical tone. An eyebrow inched up his forehead while he did his best to keep from smiling.

“You didn’t know? Oh dear.”

“Daeus, what do you know?”

“I’ll tell you what I think, instead,” he countered, leaning back in his seat with his tea. “I think you should sit down and talk to Hades. He’s the only one who can answer all of your questions.”

Eudora wrapped her arms around herself. Emotions flitted through her soul quicker than Hythlodaeus could note them. Her voice was barely audible when she spoke.

“What if I don’t like his answers?”

“Oh, Dori,” he sighed while shaking his head. “Dear Dori. How will you know unless you ask?”

A knock at the front door of her apartment interrupted Eudora before she could answer.


	13. Plotting

A knock at the front door of Eudora’s apartment interrupted the woman before she could answer. 

Confusion crossed his friend’s face as she stood to answer the door, leaving Hythlodaeus to sip his tea at the kitchen table. Voices drifted in from the other room which allowed him to distinguish the newcomer as Hades. 

_Perfect,_ he thought and smiled into his cup.

His two friends entered the kitchen as Hades’ robes and mask dissolved into wisps of violet aether. His twin held up a note between two of his fingers and flashed a smirk at Hythlodaeus.

“According to Dori’s note, you’re making dinner?”

Hythlodaeus nodded while motioning towards Eudora’s small refrigerator and the basket on the counter. 

“It’s all over there; I’ll start in a moment. Where were you? Your message didn’t exactly say and Dori couldn’t help.”

The fingers holding the note twitched. Something about Hades’ smile became strained and he glanced at Eudora as she took her seat across from Hythlodaeus. The woman frowned at his reaction.

“What happened?” she pressed.

“Do I really have to answer either of those questions?” Hades countered, claiming the seat between the two and leaning his elbows on the table.

Hythlodaeus’ forehead furrowed at the question. He sensed Eudora reach out with her soul and nudge against Hades’ balled up soul. His old friend twitched at the contact, but relaxed the defenses around his soul for her. He studied Hades, who seemed to be avoiding his gaze. 

The purple-haired man gave up and sighed into his cup. His eyes drifted down to Hades’ white sleeves—and the strip of bandage he saw poking out from under one of them. Hythlodaeus frowned and reached out to carefully pull back the sleeve. The arm shifted and quickly withdrew from Hythlodaeus once Hades realized what he was doing.

“You’re hurt,” Hythlodaeus observed and his soul prickled in anger.

“What?!” Eudora paled, noticing the bandage. “Did Lukos do that?”

“What makes you think it was him?” Hades retorted.

“That makes me think it was,” Hythlodaeus reasoned. “Why would he attack you?”

Pale yellow eyes darted up to Hythlodaeus before sweeping over to Eudora and finally settling on the table between the trio.

“Something about judging me,” Hades explained.

“What does that—” 

“What was his verdict?” Eudora interrupted and grabbed Hades’ uninjured arm with both her hands.

Near-identical eyebrows shot up identical foreheads. 

“Why didn’t you say anything?” demanded Hades.

“You _knew_ this was going to happen?” 

Eudora flinched at Hythlodaeus’ forceful tone while Hades placed a reassuring hand on his wrist. To his surprise, the other man’s violet and red soul gently reached out to smooth down the jagged spikes that had formed on his soul. Through their contact, he felt his twin asking that he remain calm.

_"**I’m** the impulsive one and you’re the nice one, remember?”_

“I am perfectly _fine_,” his friend whispered. “He only hit me once and it’s already been stitched up by the physicians in the medical ward. _He_ was the one caught in a knife storm.”

A gasp made the pair focus on Eudora. Her hands had flown up to her mouth and her silver eyes had stretched to their limits. Her voice was hardly above a whisper when she spoke.

“Is he alright?”

“Alright?” Hades scoffed. “Stubborn old thing said he could keep fighting and kept pulling my knives out. He’ll be fine; Lahabrea asked me to send Mitron with medical supplies. Mitron will patch up the Wildling and likely release him from the medical ward tomorrow.”

The woman seemingly relaxed at the news, hands dropping to rest on the table while her gaze drifted to the window.

“I’ll have to check on him after dinner.”

“Well until then, you can answer _my_ question,” Hades insisted. “You did know what was going to happen, didn’t you? You told me to be careful as I left with Lahabrea.”

A hesitant nod and a sip of tea.

“He told me that he wanted to see if—” she began hesitantly, but shook her head and started over. “Since life is harder outside of the walls, Wildlings value strength over all else. If a pair of souls are— If someone is— You see, a judgement happens when your family, either natural or adopted, determines if someone is… _worthy_ of being…”

Hythlodaeus hummed in understanding, drawing Hades’ attention away from the pink-faced blonde; he had recalled seeing the custom mentioned in a short discourse on Wildlings. The blush covering Eudora’s cheeks suddenly made sense along with her reluctance to explain. He focused on his twin.

“What did Lukos say after your fight?”

Hades raised a brow as his eyes shifted sideways to look at Eudora.

“He said to tell Dori that he was right in his first judgement of me. When I asked him to explain, he said that Dori could do it better, but did admit to liking me.”

Eudora’s soul flickered at the news. Thanks to Hades’ soul still touching his own, Hythlodaeus felt hope kindle within his old friend as the other man had apparently also seen the reaction in her soul. He took care not to let his emotions seep through the connection and caught the woman’s eye. Once sure he had it, he tilted his head towards the door to her balcony. He spoke up as she followed the movement with her eyes.

“Well, it does seem that she’s a little tongue-tied at the moment. Dori, perhaps some fresh air will help you gather your thoughts? Why not go with her, Hades? It’ll give me a chance to start dinner.”

The woman flashed him a grateful smile while Hades narrowed his eyes to study him. Suspicion leaked through their connection just before Hythlodaeus withdrew his soul and wrapped it around himself. 

“You’re plotting something,” Hades hissed as Eudora stood up.

“I believe some people call it ‘dinner’, dear brother,” Hythlodaeus replied. “This kitchen is smaller than what I’m accustomed to and I’d like to prepare our meal without having to worry about tripping over you while you nap.”

Hades shot him a glare, but the expression softened when Eudora gently took his hand. 

“Not coming?” she asked.

Pale yellow eyes darted between Eudora and Hythlodaeus before settling on Eudora with an exaggerated sigh.

“Oh, very well. I suppose I should seeing as how I’m apparently a kitchen hazard.”

Hythlodaeus called after the pair as Eudora led his twin into the other room and to the balcony door.

“While you’re at it, why not conjure up a wine that’ll pair with cordon bleu and asparagus.”

A snap from the other room and two bottles of white wine appeared on the kitchen counter along with three glasses; he noted one was already full. The man waited until he heard the balcony door open and then close, before standing from his seat and setting aside his empty tea cup.

Hythlodaeus tied back his hair as he approached the counter with a faint smile. This would have to be his best meal yet.


	14. Confession

It was a small balcony overlooking Akadaemia Anyder. Eudora remembered sitting there in the mornings as a child and watching the stream of people flowing through the streets. She leaned against the railing and looked down. Her eyes naturally fell on the street corner where she had first seen two children waiting to cross with their caretaker and decided to sneak down and join them.

Hades tapped on the railing with two fingers. The air surrounding the balcony shimmered as a barrier materialized that would allow them to enjoy the view without anyone looking at their unmasked faces. He turned around and rested his elbows on the railing while his eyes swept over the balcony and the potted plants she had brought from Thalassa. He raised his hand to snap. She faced him with crossed arms.

“Mind telling me what you’re going to before you go and redecorate my home?” she asked.

The hand hesitantly lowered at the reminder—although a smirk twisted his lips.

“I was going to give you somewhere to sit when you’re out here,” he explained, motioning at the center of the balcony with his hands.

She rolled her eyes while repeating his words under her breath. The woman sat on the rug and pat the spot beside her. His lips nearly snapped in half with his frown as he looked down at her.

“But that’s the _floor_.”

“You didn’t have any problem sitting on the ground beneath a tree,” she teased with a smirk. “Or was that because you were pretending to be Daeus?”

“That was different.”

Eudora arched an eyebrow before focusing some of her aether into a potted plant. The small tree grew until it touched the balcony’s ceiling; the pot mimicked its growth, gaining height and width to accommodate the larger plant’s root system. The woman shifted back to lean against the clay pot.

“Better?”

He considered the plant.

“I think it might violate one or two building codes,” he murmured.

“Will you just sit down already?” she hissed.

The man joined her with a smirk. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, crossing them at the heels as they watched the sky darken. Eudora drew her knees up to her chest and tried to figure out the best way to explain Wildling customs to Hades. 

The gentle feeling of his soul brushing against hers pulled Eudora out of her thoughts. She blinked a few times before focusing on him.

“Seems you dozed off for a moment,” he noted. “Maybe Daeus _was_ right to banish both of us.”

She scowled at him and lightly hit him in the arm, drawing a light chuckle from him.

“I didn’t doze off; I was trying to think. I’m not sure how to explain Lukos’ reason for fighting you.”

“Is that all? Lahabrea touched on it. He said the Wildling wanted to see if I was worthy of _claiming_ you for myself. What I want to know is where he could have gotten _that_ idea.”

Despair coalesced in Eudora’s chest and plummeted into her stomach.

“Is it so reprehensible?” she asked. 

“We are not savages to claim each other.”

“Isn’t that what happens in a bonding ceremony?” she countered. “Two souls claiming sole ownership over the each other for eternity?”

Hades scoffed. She caught the sideways glance he threw at her.

“There is not usually a third party deeming whether or not one is worthy.”

She nearly conceded before a memory flashed to the forefront of her mind.

“Oh? What about that whole deal with you and Daeus switching places in Thalassa so you could ‘learn how I truly feel’? It certainly _felt_ like I was trying to prove my worth. Or does Daeus not count as a third party?”

“Leave him out of this.”

“Why? _You_ never do.”

Hades straightened up to glare at her.

“Did you only drag me out here so we could argue?”

“No, it was so we could _talk_!”

The force behind his glare evaporated as he echoed the last word. The brunet released a heavy sigh and crossed his arms.

“He _was_ plotting,” he muttered before offering her half a smile and two eyebrows furrowed together and inching up his forehead. “Any luck I can convince you just to talk about the weather?”

She frowned. He seemed to tense at the expression and mutely turned his head away from her. The motion did nothing to help her own fears.

“So I was right,” she whispered. “You are completely against it.”

“You will have to be more specific,” he replied in an even tone. “What am I completely against?”

Eudora gently placed her hand on his arm. Hades tensed at her touch, but did not face her. Although a knot formed in her throat, she worked to speak around it.

“This. _Us_. It explains what happens each time I touch you.”

A deep inhale preceded Hades facing forward and lowering his head so his hair obscured his face from Eudora. He slowly exhaled a shaky breath.

“It’s not you,” he confessed softly. “It’s a remnant from a previous relationship. I should have realized I was only being used—especially since Daeus kept trying to convince me—but I was blinded. It was bad enough that I even turned on _him_ towards the end since he wouldn’t stop trying to show me the reality of the situation. I said things—threw things in his face—that I _never_ should have. It was honestly a surprise when he forgave me.”

Hades finally met her gaze. A rueful smile twisted his lips, offsetting the pain that lurked in his eyes. The sight broke her heart.

“It is difficult for me to drop the act in front of other people; even when we were children. That’s why I’ve always hidden my soul. That experience only made it worse and reinforced the habit as a defense mechanism.” 

Another breath seemed to ease his tension. He gingerly reached out to take her hand and threaded his fingers between hers. When Eudora stiffly kept her fingers from touching him, Hades used his other one to close her hand around his. The hand remained in place, sandwiching hers, while the thumb on the one she was holding began to idly stroke the skin between her thumb and forefinger.

“I’m not against _us_—quite the contrary. I simply ask that you be patient with me.”

Hope flickered to life inside Eudora, warming the smile that spread across her face. Hades relaxed further and gently leaned against her with a faint smile of his own before looping his arm around her. When she settled against him, he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

“Thank you for explaining. We’ll go at your pace,” she said softly, enjoying the ever-present scent of flowers on his clothes.

Eudora felt the defenses lower around part of his soul. When she opened up her senses, she saw it reach out to her just before she felt his soul relax against the edge of hers. His contentment bled into her and she responded with her own.

Hades sighed, tucking Eudora in close, as they silently watched the stars appear in the sky.


	15. Family

For the first time, in what Hades felt had been ages, he lost _track_ of time. 

He obviously knew it was passing thanks to the sun having set, but outside of that he wasn’t entirely sure as to the actual time. All he knew was that he was sitting on the floor of Eudora’s balcony and was leaning against what had once been a small potted tree that now stretched up to the ceiling. Eudora had leaned into him—_accepted_ him—and the rest had come naturally. 

For all he knew, time had stopped once the stars came out.

Part of his soul still relaxed against the edge of her soul. Emotions seeped from one to the other in a serene ebb and flow. Hades found himself agreeing with Hythlodaeus about her soul having a distinctive color—pure aquamarine with no secondary or tertiary colors. A rare thing to possess. 

The thought struck him that it had been an extremely long day as he allowed his eyes to drift closed. He was still recovering from his fight against the Wildling and the morning had been filled with matters relating to the Convocation—a general overview of the state of the star, deciding which district needed expansion, assigning the new Shachar her first official task as Listener; and that was only what he had heard while awake. The notes Pashtarot had given him following their adjournment went on for pages. It seemed things were going to be busy for quite some time. 

Then again, time didn’t matter at the moment. He was happy; Eudora was happy; Hythlodaeus was happy, judging by the light sparkling in his eyes. 

Thinking of whom, the door to the balcony eased open, cutting Hades’ impromptu nap short. Eudora lifted her head from where it had fallen onto his chest to peer at Hythlodaeus standing in the doorway. A knowing smile played on his long-haired twin’s lips and lit up his eyes as they studied Hades and Eudora.

“Dinner’s ready,” he announced. “And Dori, you have a surprise guest. Luckily, I made extra.”

The blonde woman’s soul swirled in confusion, imparting some of it to Hades who instinctively replaced the barriers around himself. They entered Eudora’s apartment to find Lukos sitting at the kitchen table and sipping a glass of wine. Hades stared at the multitude of bandages covering the man while Eudora rushed forward to carefully hug him. Lukos made a gruff noise which made her immediately release him and take a step back to assess his injuries.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “Hades said you were being treated in the Akadaemia’s medical ward.”

“I was,” Lukos admitted. “Lahabrea and Mitron even stationed guards outside my room to make sure I stayed in place. Neither of them thought I’d pick the window.”

“Are you _insane_?” Hades asked. “The medical ward is several stories up. You could have—” 

“Hades, you can’t just—”

“It’s alright,” Lukos said, interrupting Hythlodaeus. “Your brother isn’t the first to call me insane. Even I have to admit it wasn’t my best idea. Be aware that you may get reports of someone jumping out of a window and growing wings to glide down.”

Hades and Hythlodaeus exchanged a confused look while Eudora rolled her eyes and pressed her mentor.

“Why didn’t you stay? You’re hurt; you need to be with doctors who can help you.”

The Wildling shrugged dismissively.

“They stitched me up and replaced the blood I lost. There isn’t much more they can do.”

“They can change your bandages. They can monitor you,” Eudora countered. “They can make sure you don’t kill yourself by jumping out of windows.”

Lukos scoffed and sipped his wine. Eudora snatched the glass away from him and hissed something about him not drinking in his current state.

“Are we going to ignore that he said he grew wings?” Hythlodaeus asked.

The Wildling smirked and lifted a white eyebrow. Hades sensed a shift in the room’s aether, centering around Lukos. When Eudora crossed her arms and glared at him, the aether returned to normal and the man let out an annoyed huff.

“It’s a skill developed by Wildlings who can manipulate aether,” she explained. “They can adapt by altering their bodies to fit the situation. Think of it as an extension of what Hades did when the two of you switched places on the coast. The difference is that they can add things that weren’t there before—like wings or tails—or change their physical attributes like height or weight.”

“The cities frown upon the practice since some alterations can be difficult to hide under a robe and hood, thereby ruining their forced uniformity. If one doesn’t have a firm grasp of their natural form, then it can be difficult to return to it,” Lukos added. “That is why training is required. My little one can do it, for example, because I’ve shown her how to, but the training takes a few decades. It isn’t something either of you could begin doing tomorrow.”

“Is that why you have fangs and claws?” Hades asked.

“It is. I’ve had them for so long that I consider them to be a part of my natural form. It has happened to others with far more drastic alterations. I suppose they must be the sources of stories that claim Wildlings to be lightning-breathing giants with six arms and lashing, barbed tails.”

“If the lecture’s over, let’s get you back to the medical ward before anyone notices you’re missing,” Eudora said.

Hythlodaeus stepped forward before the woman could try helping Lukos to his feet. 

“Perhaps he should eat, first,” he suggested. “It would help him regain his strength before walking back.”

“You are too kind, Hythlodaeus,” Lukos noted, waving Eudora away and standing up on his own with some effort, “but I would not force myself upon the hospitality of others.”

“No, you’d rather force undue stress on someone who’s worried about you,” Hades noted. “He’s already here, Dori, let him stay and eat. We can walk him back after our meal.”

The others looked at him with varying degrees of surprise on their faces. Eudora was the first to recover and smiled thankfully as she took her mentor by the hand.

“Alright. Come on; let’s eat in the dining room.”

When Hades helped her set up the apartment, Eudora had insisted on keeping things much simpler than what he had in his own home—even the wooden dining table, which could only fit four people. Eudora led Lukos to the small table while Hades and Hythlodaeus brought over the plates. Hades fetched the wine and glasses and created a glass of water for Lukos before they began their meal. Eudora mad an observation as they ate.

“This is nice. We should try to do this more often once Lukos is fully recovered.”

The man in question remained silent, instead shifting his dark blue eyes to Hades and Hythlodaeus. His old friend joined the Wildling in looking at him. Hades scowled at the men.

“What did I do now?” he asked, glancing at Eudora.

The woman pointedly held his gaze before allowing her eyes to dart sideways to Lukos. Her unspoken message was clear. Hades sighed, allowing the scowl to fall off his face.

“I suppose I haven’t been the most welcoming,” he admitted to the Wildling sitting across from him. “Despite that, you still agreed to judge me for someone dear to you and gave me a positive verdict on top of that. Perhaps I should begin putting in an effort as well. Don’t delude yourself into thinking, however, that it will come in the form of us holding hands and skipping through parks.”

The Wildling’s eyes softened with a smile.

“I would not expect it to, Architect. That you have admitted your behavior is already a large step. The four of us might yet become a family.”

“Family?” Hades echoed.

“F-four?” Hythlodaeus asked.

Lukos chuckled and took a sip of water before explaining.

“Life is different outside of your cities. Life expectancy is much shorter due to various reasons I won’t delve into at the moment. As such, families tend to remain together for the sake of protection. My family was killed some time ago, which is what prompted me to settle near Thalassa. That was when I met Eudora and took her in as my little one, making her my new family.” Lukos nodded to Hades. “Since you have caught my little one’s eye, you would then become part of our little family should the relationship grow serious—and as I would never dream of separating you from your brother, we would therefore be a family of four: one plus one plus two.”

Hades considered the man’s observation while glancing at Hythlodaeus. Family was viewed differently by those who lived in the cities. Once you were fully grown, you struck out on your own and essentially cut ties with your parents. The community then became your family at which point one was expected to work for the benefit of all.

As such, the concept of a close family was strange to them—outside of their relationship as adopted brothers. Hades honestly couldn’t recall the last time he had seen his parents, whereas Hythlodaeus had lost touch with his when they moved to a city on the other side of the mountains. He suspected Eudora had a similar case in regards to her parents.

Hythlodaeus smiled his warm smile at Hades before nodding at Lukos.

“A little family of four. I think I like the sound of that.”

Eudora beamed at the news while a gentle smile spread across the Wildling’s face. When the other three focused on Hades, he forced an exaggerated sigh and a dramatic roll of his eyes.

“It seems I’m outnumbered,” he noted. “I suppose I’ll have to go along with your game and be part of your family. Someone has to keep Daeus in line; he is wont to be a little trickster, after all.”

The woman smiled knowingly while Hythlodaeus raised an eyebrow.

“And I suppose you’re an innocent little lamb, dearest brother?”

“The most innocent,” Hades smirked.

“A cub in lamb’s clothing, perhaps,” Lukos observed. 

“Who defeated _you_ in a fight, old man.”

“Wait, wait, wait. You were surprised to hear he could give himself wings,” Eudora pointed out before focusing on Lukos. “Did you only fight him as a humanoid?”

Lukos nodded.

“You asked me not to hurt him and I promised to exercise control, remember?”

A chill fell over Hades as he stared at the Wildling and tried to imagine how the man would alter himself in a fight. Lukos noticed and chuckled.

“If you’re curious, Architect, we can have a rematch once I’m fully recovered. I’ll show you how a Wildling _truly_ fights.”

Despite the worry in Eudora’s eyes and the gymnastics performed by his stomach, Hades accepted the offer with a nod. Hythlodaeus, to his surprise, spoke up.

“Would you mind teaching _me_ how to fight?” 

Lukos’ white eyebrows shifted up his forehead and he glanced at Eudora for an explanation. She hesitantly looked at Hythlodaeus as if to ask permission, but his twin spoke up for himself.

“I can’t manipulate aether,” he said. "At all."

The Wildling nodded in understanding. His eyes swept over Hythlodaeus as if to measure his capabilities.

“It will be difficult,” he warned. “I’ll only agree if you’re prepared to work for it.”

“I didn’t expect it to be easy,” Hythlodaeus replied with a nod. “I don’t want to have to depend on Hades or Eudora if a creation gets out of control; I want to be able to help. I don’t want to be turned away like I was the day of Dori’s trial.”

Hades frowned, but Lukos replied before he could object.

“It would seem you have the soul of a Wildling, despite being a citydweller. Very well, Hythlodaeus; your lessons begin once I’m recovered. And don’t you scold him, Architect. He has as much of a right to protect you as you do him.”

His frown deepened despite sensing his old friend’s determination. After a moment, he pushed down his concerns and gave in with a half-smile and a shrug.

“Try not to get hurt, Daeus. It’ll be harder to trick Dori without you.”

Eudora hissed his name and smacked him in the side; he outright laughed while Hythlodaeus smiled. 

“Of course, Hades. Someone has to make sure the two of you don’t single-handedly destroy Amaurot.”

“We’re not that bad!”

“You and Hades are more likely to burn down the district!”

“I’m the _Architect_; why would I burn down the district?”

“I don’t know! Expansion gone awry?”

“Of all the most ridiculous…” Hades muttered, but stopped when he saw Hythlodaeus and Lukos whispering behind the latter’s wide hand.

“What are the two of you going on about?” Eudora asked.

The pair straightened up in their seats. The shadow of a smile danced on Lukos’ face while Hythlodaeus explained.

“We were just noticing how you already bicker like an old bonded couple.”

“We do not!” they hissed, eliciting laughter from the other two.

The conversation devolved into more mundane topics as they finished their meal. They moved the discussion into Eudora’s sitting room, having completely forgotten their agreement to take Lukos back to the medical ward. 

Eudora sat beside him, fingers laced together with his as they worked their way through the second bottle of wine with Hythlodaeus’ help. The three of them carried the conversation, reminiscing about their childhood and telling stories about their time apart while Lukos listened along.


	16. Cake

“Please tell me where I went wrong with this. I’m so lost.”

Hythlodaeus bit his lip to keep from laughing at the woman struggling with the mixture in the bowl. The purple-haired man pushed away from the counter and walked over, tea in hand, to assess the damage. He had to remember to be gentle since work hadn’t been kind to his friend today. 

Apparently the first half had been spent listening to what seemed like endless complaints from the citizens regarding how the Convocation was running the city. The second half was spent delivering those complaints to her coworkers. When Eudora entered the office and sullenly curled up in the armchair Hades had placed near the window for her, the assistant knew he had to find a way to cheer her up—or at the very least distract her. Thus, he offered a baking lesson.

He peered over her shoulder before carefully lifting the spoon and tilting it to watch the mixture dribble out of it. A glance at the recipe he had written out for her confirmed his suspicions. A slender finger lightly tapped one of the measurements at the top of the paper. Eudora groaned and seemed to deflate further. 

“Too much liquid?” she asked, despite seemingly knowing the answer.

Hythlodaeus nodded and took the pencil he had tucked behind his ear. He verified how much she had put in before figuring out how much she needed to add to offset it. Once certain of his numbers, the man watched to make sure she measured out the correct amounts. 

A small smile and a gentle pat on her shoulder when she had finished, along with a few words, assured his friend that everything would be alright. He warmly reminded her not to overmix as he sipped his tea and returned to leaning against the counter.

Pale gold eyes patiently watched as Eudora finished incorporating the rest of the ingredients. She poured them into the prepared pans, which went directly into the oven before she set the timer. He offered a proud smile and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Not bad for your first time,” he noted. 

“But we don’t know how it’ll come out,” she said with a faint scowl.

“The actual result doesn’t matter on your first attempt,” he countered. “What matters is what you learn.”

Her silvery gaze lowered as she slipped out of his partial hug to clean up the counter. She worked in silence while he finished his tea. The stillness finally broke when the space returned to its typical pristine state.

“Will it get easier?”

The words carried a certain weight to them that made Hythlodaeus think they referred to something more than baking. He lightly curled a finger around his chin as he considered the best way to respond.

“Every new skill is difficult the first time you try your hand at it. You are fortunate in that you know people who are willing to teach you. With their help and enough time—and even a few failures along the way—I know you will master the skill. You just need patience, my friend.” Hythlodaeus lowered his hand and smiled at her. “You won’t believe how many cakes I ruined when I was first learning how to bake. They were completely inedible; basically charred bricks. Hades contemplated using them as a building material.”

Eudora snorted as a reluctant smile found its way onto her face. 

“Such an outlook is unbefitting for a Shachar,” he said, making sure his tone remained gentle. “You are the Listener, the Light of Hope. You are the embodiment of the dawn coloring the very edges of the horizon. If you fall to despair, then what will happen to the rest of us?”

She met his gaze and tilted her head over one shoulder, blonde hair cascading to one side as her smile faded.

“No pressure.”

He playfully nudged her with his hip. She returned the gesture with a smirk. He smiled at the sight, happy to see her mood lift no matter how briefly.

“One does not rush the dawn; it happens in its own time. You’ll get there, Dori. No one expects you to be perfect. You’ve only just taken the position, after all.”

Silver eyes drifted down to the recipe resting on the counter while graceful fingers idly drummed a rhythm on the surface. He watched her gaze skim over the lines he had written before focusing on the ingredients still in the basket. Her hands pulled them out and began working on the syrup that would be brushed onto the cakes when they were removed from the oven. 

An idea darted into his mind as he watched her work. He slipped out of Hades’ apartment and back into their office. His old friend would not be back for another bell considering he was on a brief scouting mission with Fandaniel and Pashtarot. The three were charged with studying the land outside the walls to best determine which direction the city should expand.

Hythlodaeus sat at his twin’s desk and pressed the hidden button within the top left drawer while opening the one on the bottom right. A small compartment opened in the latter, revealing a bottle half-filled with amber liquid along with a drinking glass. He removed the bottle and closed everything before returning to Eudora.

“Add a touch of this to the syrup,” he suggested, opening the bottle before handing it over.

“What is it?” she asked and sniffed the mouth of the bottle. She grimaced and gave it back. “No! That’ll ruin it! What is that even?”

“Trust me, will you?” he insisted and poured a splash into the water and sugar mixture cooking on the stovetop. “You won’t add all of the syrup to the cake. A little of this will just give it some flavor. As for what it _is_, well… Wine might be what Hades drinks with his meals, but this is what he drinks for comfort. It’ll be a nice surprise when he comes home and has some of your cake.”

A faint blush tinged Eudora’s cheeks as he returned the bottle to its hiding spot. By the time he came back to the kitchen, she was focused on stirring the syrup on the stove. He feigned ignoring her and busied himself with cleaning his tea cup—easily sensing the curiosity welling up within her. It burst a moment later.

“What about you? What brings you comfort?” she asked, not taking her eyes off her task.

“Tea,” he replied simply. “I actually have a plant in my apartment for my favorite kind. I trade with some of my other neighbors whenever I want something different.”

She finally looked away from the stove at the news.

“Interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you mention where you live.”

“You never asked,” Hythlodaeus countered with a gentle smile. “But I don’t fault you; life has changed enough for you over the past two months that you aren’t in a place to wonder where other people live. Hades never brings it up since he knows _very well_ where I live and is more than content to march himself down there and break my door down at all sorts of odd times.”

His smile broadened as he casually leaned back against the counter.

“I’ll invite you for dinner one day. I’m sure the other tenants will love the chance to gawk and gossip about who I have over.”

“Sounds like all of you are rather close.”

He shrugged and pushed off the counter to check the syrup before turning off the burner and moving the pot to one side.

“We have to be since we’re all in the same situation.”

“Oh! Is everyone in the building aetherically limited?”

Hythlodaeus nodded. 

“It’s easier for us to help each other that way. Most are actually employed by the restaurant and the rest help maintain the building while the others work. There’s a communal garden on the roof that grows the more common fruits and vegetables. I’m actually rather proud of its design.”

She beamed at him, which made his soul flare with pride. 

“Seriously, _why_ aren’t you on the Convocation? If it’s because you can’t manipulate aether, then they can make a new seat for others in that position. The things you’ve done for people like you—they’re all amazing!”

A nervous laugh slipped between his lips as his fingers came up to touch the edge of a mask that wasn’t there. Instead, he rubbed the spot on his cheek.

“I don’t think I’m quite yet welcome within the Capitol,” he confessed. “Hades says he still needs to bare his soul whenever he needs to meet with one of the others.”

Eudora snorted with laughter.

“Serves him right!”

Hythlodaeus bit his lip to keep from joining in with the woman’s joyful sound. He checked the timer while she regained control of herself. Silence fell over the kitchen, wherein Eudora shuffled in place; he sensed her gaze focus itself on him.

“Thank you, Daeus.”

His heart swelled at her words and the warmth in her eyes.

“Think nothing of it, dear Dori,” he said with a smile. “It’s the least I can do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up that chapters will be slower to come in the future since work is ramping up.
> 
> Thanks for your patience. And thank you for reading up to this point! :)


	17. Expansion

The land outside the walls of Amaurot were a stark contrast to what lay within. While previous Emet-Selchs had carefully planned the layout of the city and its resulting infrastructure, the Wilds, with its untamed plains and woods, were largely ignored—save for moments such as this where the Convocation considered expanding the city. Then, the current Emet-Selch was sent out along with two other members to survey the land and decide in which direction they should proceed: Fandaniel, who could easily test the land itself thanks to his aetheric affinity, and Pashtarot, who could help Emet-Selch determine other factors that might impede the expansion.

“Do we agree this is the best option?” the latter asked, hovering between her colleagues to be more in line with their height. 

The three Convocation members stared at the land before them. A grassy plain broken up by a smattering of trees and rolling hills. They had seen no signs of inhabitants—either beast tribe or Wildling—which meant there would be no one to contest the expansion. The creatures that inhabited the space would be relocated by Igeyorhm and her team of assistants.

Hades remained silent and instead glanced at Fandaniel. A faint, satisfied smile curled the man’s lips despite his robes and gloves being covered in dirt. 

“I do believe so, yes. The ground is strong enough to support whatever Emet-Selch designs and you, little Pashtarot, noted that expanding this way would be easier than going towards the coast.”

“Only because it would be more sensible. The interdistrict train line could be expanded this way as well, providing greater coverage. As Emet-Selch pointed out, the other locations we scouted would create more problems than solutions—either by trying to connect them to the rest of Amaurot or because of the land itself.”

“Then why ask if we agreed if this is truly our _only_ option?” Hades asked. “Waste of time, if you ask me.”

The short woman crossed her arms; Hades could feel the glare radiating from behind her mask. 

“Forgive me for taking someone else’s opinions into mind,” she countered coolly. “We aren’t all as independent as _you_, Emet-Selch.”

The other man stepped in with a smile and pulled the hovering woman away by her sleeve.

“It’s been a long day and the sun is setting. Emet-Selch, why not mark this as the expansion so we may go home?”

Hades dismissively waved them towards the walls.

“No need for you to stay; as dear Pashtarot pointed out, I’m rather independent.”

“No. We’re staying,” she insisted with a sigh and lowered herself until her feet touched solid ground as if to prove her point.

Hades shrugged and walked towards a solitary tree in the center of the area with a muttered ‘Suit yourselves’. He made his way carefully, remembering that Fandaniel tripped over something hidden by the tall grass while he was conducting his investigation. Now and then, he glanced back and saw the two robed figures were still patiently waiting for his return. 

The red glyph of Emet-Selch appeared over his face as he reached the tree. He stopped at the base of it and closed his eyes. His aether seeped into the ground at his feet, tendrils radiating outwards to carve the pattern of his glyph into the earth. Whatever grass his aether touched shriveled and dried up before turning to dust.

“Claiming more land, I see.”

His aether reflexively seized before lashing out at the source of the voice. It struck nothing. The sound of beating wings reached his ears followed by a hawk’s cry. Aether rippled around him, focused on a specific point behind him where he heard a heavy thud. His own aether converged on the spot, grappling the figure it discovered there with little resistance.

“I do not actually wish to fight you, little one. I was simply curious.”

Hades’ eyes snapped open. He spun around to find Lukos restrained by violet tendrils wrapped around his arms, chest, and legs. The Wildling’s bare feet caught his attention as they shifted back from bird-like talons. A sigh slipped out of the slim man and he withdrew the tendrils holding the taller man in place while the glyph vanished from in front of his face.

“You were the hawk that was following us,” he noted, holding up a hand to stop Fandaniel and Pashtarot who were rushing towards them. “I thought something about it felt familiar.”

Lukos nodded and turned his focus towards the incomplete glyph at Hades’ feet. A violet glow faintly emanated from the lines, growing stronger the closer it grew to the Architect. His dark blue eyes traced Hades’ form up to his face until they locked gazes.

“The Warden was right; this land is rich. What do you plan to do with it?”

“Plan to interfere if you don’t approve?” Hades hummed. “Your little one won’t be happy to hear you’ve escaped the medical ward yet again.”

A corner of the white-haired Wildling’s mouth turned upwards.

“Quite the contrary. She asked me to keep an eye on you while you were outside the walls.”

The news simultaneously bothered Hades and warmed his heart. The intensity of the Wildling’s gaze informed him that he still expected an answer to his question. Hades glanced at the area, stopping at Fandaniel and Pashtarot who had slowed their approach but not fully stopped it.

“I had a few ideas,” he admitted. “It depended on which direction Amaurot would go and what Fandaniel found during his investigation. Considering the quality of the soil and its proximity to the river and our agricultural district, I believe it would be best to relocate them here and use that land as an expansion for the city. It would take a season or two to cycle through the crops they have planted, but they will do better here since I can plan it from the ground up.”

“You say as if the Emet-Selch who designed that current district didn’t?”

“I am sure whichever of my predecessors planned it, they did so to the best of their abilities, but they weren’t _me_,” Hades smirked.

Lukos rolled his eyes and shook his head while murmuring something under his breath. The Wildling nodded at the approaching Convocation members. Hades caught the glint of metal on Fandaniel’s gloves and noticed the mace in Pashtarot’s hand as the woman floated ahead of him.

“They don’t seem to trust my sudden appearance. I suppose you’re finished outside of the walls?”

Hades nodded in response.

“Then I’ll return to my room in the medical ward. When you see them, let Lahabrea and Mitron know that they should try better than an easily bashed lock on a window. Alternatively, they can acknowledge their futility and let me go.”

“You know perfectly well that Dori wants you to stay there and recover. Then again, you’re capable of changing your shape so perhaps you are well.”

A chuckle rumbled within Lukos’ chest.

“I see you’re coming around, little one. You’ll learn yet.”

The Wildling lifted a hand in farewell and, in the blink of an eye and a ripple of aether, turned into a white-feathered hawk. The bird launched into the air with a great beating of its wings and flew towards Amaurot, leaving behind a single feather.

Hades compulsively stooped down to pick it up, easily sensing the Wildling’s aether contained within it. He tucked the feather into the sleeves of his robes as Pashtarot skidded to a stop in front of him.

“Was that a white-haired Wildling?” she asked as Fandaniel jogged up behind her.

The man bent over, clawed gloves resting on his knees, as he caught his breath.

“I told you he was fine, Pash,” Fandaniel panted.

Hades crossed his arms and studied the pair. He struggled to keep a simple smirk instead of bursting into laughter at them.

“What, you mean Lukos?”

“You know him?!”

“Of course he does; he had to make his rooms in the Akadaemia, didn’t he?”

“Stay out of this,” Pashtarot hissed before floating up to be face to face with Hades. “Don’t you know how _dangerous_ he is?!”

He remained in place and raised an eyebrow at the woman beneath his mask.

“I know he’s a Wildling, but this is a touch excessive, Pashtarot. He’s a guest lecturer invited by Lahabrea himself. How dangerous can he be if he is here at our dear Speaker’s behest?”

The woman scoffed and drifted back to focus on the two men while crossing her arms.

“I forget you’re both from Amaurot, so you’ve never heard any of the stories.”

“If I openly admit my ignorance, will you agree not to tell me one?” Hades asked. “I’d like to finish my work and go home.”

Pashtarot ignored him.

“In my home city, across the mountains, there is a legend of a white-haired Wildling who single-handedly destroyed an entire city—buildings, people, _everything_.”

Something about her words struck Hades and made him tense. Fandaniel, however, shook his head. 

“You said it yourself it’s a legend. Even if it were true, then what makes you think Lahabrea would invite such a man to live in Amaurot? He might not even be the same man!”

“How many Wildlings can use aether? And of those, how many have white hair?” she countered. “Lahabrea might not even be aware. Sure, he’s well-traveled, but who’s to say he’s heard the stories that _I_ have?”

“With all respect, it may simply be a story,” Hades noted. “If you are so deeply concerned and feel you have such a valid case, then I suggest you bring it up at our next meeting. I’m sure you will handily win the debate against Lahabrea with such strong evidence as ‘my suspicions are based on a legend’. Now, if you are done, go back to the edge of the area. I have work to do and both of you are distracting.”

Pashtarot’s lips twisted in annoyance. She spun around and floated back to where Hades had left her. Fandaniel’s shoulders slumped as the claws vanished from his gloves.

“You are aware she’s going to be utterly impossible on the way back?”

“I will be the focus of the ire, as I always am,” Hades smirked. “You’re welcome to head straight home while I finish this.”

“And miss the entertainment?” Fandaniel countered with a lazy smile. “Not for all the riches in the earth.”

The man jogged after Pashtarot, slowing his pace once he had caught up to her. 

Once Hades was sure they were a safe distance away, he summoned his glyph anew and refocused his aether into the symbol at his feet. It extended outwards, the violet glow magnifying in intensity until it shone through Hades’ closed eyelids as it neared completion. 

The moment his aether carved the last line into the earth, the energy stored within the glyph exploded outwards. Hades grit his teeth, containing the blast within the boundaries he had marked in his mind. Waves of information assaulted the Architect, etching a topographical map into his memory. 

As he sensed the edge of his spell hit the outer wall of Amaurot, the structure answered to the glyph of his office. It split down the middle and warped so that it could follow the markers Hades had placed. The wall spread, drawing from metals within the earth and his own aether, until it encircled the new zone. The rumbling finally stopped when both halves met in the distance behind him and merged back together so that not even a seam remained.

The symbol at his feet dissolved into its constituent aether and flowed back into Hades as his red glyph vanished. He slowly made his way to where Pashtarot and Fandaniel were waiting for him. The latter beamed while the former still seemed to be sulking.

“Masterfully done, Emet-Selch,” said Fandaniel. “I’ve already set up the barrier between this area and the existing district. My people will patrol it while Igeyorhm and her lot take care of the wildlife.”

Hades hummed and continued past them—for once, too tired to even speak. It was the first time he had handled a land expansion and while the notes on the process had been extensive, he had underestimated how utterly exhausting it would be.

What _was_ expected, was Pashtarot complaining the entire train ride back to the center of the city about how he should respect senior members and their opinions—especially when said opinions are based on fact. Fandaniel lived in the outskirts, as most bearing his title did, so he was spared most of the tirade. Hades wasn’t as fortunate. Whenever he managed to doze off while leaning against the train window, the shorter Convocation member threw a spell at him that forced the air out of his lungs and made him wake up gasping. 

Luckily for both Hades and his lungs, they parted ways at the station. The drained man briefly considered curling up to nap in an alley somewhere, but reconsidered when he thought of the ensuing scandal if he were discovered. Therefore he dragged himself to his building, into the lift, and up to his apartment.

Hades opened the door to be greeted with the warm smell of something baked. A smile wormed its way onto his face as he dismissed his robes and mask with a snap. The white feather fluttered to the ground and he scooped it up only to tuck it into the pocket of his vest. He walked into his apartment to find Eudora curled up in a chair in the sitting room, enjoying a slice of chocolate cake drizzled with white icing and a cup of milk. 

She greeted him with a smile and pointed towards the kitchen with her fork. Not a moment later, Hythlodaeus walked out and thrust one of the plates in his hands towards Hades. He accepted the slice with a mumbled word of thanks and followed his twin to the sitting room. The man perched on the armrest of Eudora’s chair while Hythlodaeus sat on the sofa. 

“One of these days you’ll have to explain your preternatural ability to simply _know_ what to do and when, Daeus,” Hades said before he speared a piece with his fork and ate it. When he had swallowed the bite, he smirked at the other man. “This is one of your best yet. And don’t think I can’t tell you broke into my secret drawer for one of the ingredients.”

A familiar, mischievous smirk crossed the purple-haired man’s face, making Hades’ blood run cold at the unexpected sight. Before he could question Hythlodaeus, his twin tilted his head in Eudora’s direction.

“One of my best?” he echoed. “It’s a shame I only had a small hand in making it; the addition to the syrup being my only contribution. Otherwise, it was all Dori’s doing.”

Hades nearly dropped the plate in surprise while the woman beside him spoke up.

“But it was your suggestion, your recipe, and you constantly fixed my mistakes. I question how much I actually did in the end.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hythlodaeus chided gently. “You did most of the work and the cake wouldn’t even exist right now if you hadn’t asked me to teach you in the first place.”

“If that’s the case, then thank you Daeus for showing Dori,” Hades smiled and leaned over to gently kiss Eudora on the top of her head. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “And thank you for the cake. I look forward to seeing what else he teaches you. Although, something to keep in mind is that I prefer more savory dishes.”

“I already taught you to cook for yourself,” Hythlodaeus interjected. 

“Oh? Sounds like it’s your turn to make a dish then,” Eudora smirked.

Despite his exhaustion, Hades somehow found the energy to flash an exaggerated frown at the pair.

“Must I? Daeus is far better at it than me since he actually has to do it every day.”

Eudora leaned closer to the armrest on which Hades was perched. She smiled up at him, gently resting a hand on his leg. Her soul brushed against the barrier still surrounding his. It easily found the gap he opened for her and slipped through to lightly rest beside his soul. 

“I could make something you like in return,” she suggested as her warmth sank into him. “I still think it’d be nice if we ate one meal together each day. Dinner would make the most sense. We could take turns so it doesn’t always fall to Daeus.”

Hades raised an eyebrow while her eyes silently asked him to agree. He glanced over to Hythlodaeus to find the man’s own eyebrows had shot up his forehead and he was currently mouthing ‘Say yes’. 

He tilted his head, closed his eyes, and hummed in thought for a moment, tapping his fork against his lips. Uncertainty wavered through Eudora’s soul, just barely bleeding through the light contact it made with his. One pale golden eye cracked open to peer down at her. A smirk curled his lip as he pierced the morsel of cake left on the woman’s plate with the fork and stole it for himself.

“I suppose that can be arranged,” he said while chewing. “I’ll make dinner tomorrow. You can even invite the Wildling when you ask him how my foray outside the walls went.”

The blonde stared at him while stiffening in her seat. He noticed with a chuckle that even her soul had tensed. Before she could ask the question he felt forming in her mind, he removed the white feather from his pocket. Her silver eyes focused on it as he twirled it between his thumb and forefinger. Her jaw dropped in shock.

“While your concern is touching, I do not need a caretaker while I’m doing my job,” he whispered. 

Hythlodaeus cleared his throat. Hades shot him a glare only to see his old friend nonchalantly eating his slice of cake. Eudora finally recovered and took the white feather.

“I understand,” she said softly, lightly stroking the feather. “But you don’t know what things are like outside of the walls. I know you had Fandaniel and Pashtarot, but I didn’t want anything to happen to you.”

Something stirred within Hades. He pushed it back down to analyze later. For the moment, he managed a smirk and took the empty plate from Eudora’s hands.

“Duly noted. Let me clean up since the two of you made the cake.”

He quickly finished his slice before crossing over to the sofa to take Hythlodaeus’ plate. The man’s dark eyebrows drew together in confusion, but he remained silent. Hades sensed the question his twin wanted to ask and subtly shook his head, eyes darting over his shoulder to glance at Eudora. Hythlodaeus nodded in understanding. 

They followed him into the kitchen where they chatted while he washed the plates in the sink. Hythlodaeus warmed up some of the dinner he had made and gave it to Hades as the conversation continued. By the time he had finished, Eudora was actively trying to conceal her yawns. He smirked at her and his twin gently nudged her with his elbow.

“Seems you should go to bed,” Hythlodaeus noted. “I’d walk out with you, but I need to finish up some work.”

The woman sleepily nodded and bid the twins a good night. Her robes and full-face mask appeared as she headed for the front door. The purple-haired man waited a few seconds after the door had closed before rounding on Hades.

“What did you do this time?” he hissed. “You’re so drained that you can’t even use aether.”

“You know perfectly well what I had to do today,” Hades replied, loosening the black tie at his neck with one hand. “I should have taken an amplifier with me.”

Hythodaeus crossed his arms and frowned. Hades sighed and turned him around to begin pushing him towards the front door. The other man braced himself against the doorframe and dug in his heels. Try as he might, Hades couldn’t force him any further in his current state. Much as he hated to admit it, his twin had always been physically stronger than him.

“Go take a bath and go to sleep,” Hythlodaeus said gently. “I’ll work in the dining room tonight and stay in the guest room until you’re recovered. It shouldn’t take long, if I recall the last time this happened to you.”

After a moment’s deliberation, Hades gave in with a defeated sigh. He lightly pat Hythlodaeus on the shoulder.

“You are aware that you don’t have to do this anymore, correct?” he whispered. “Especially not if Dori and I ever… you know. I can only imagine how it makes you feel.”

Hythlodaeus turned and offered him a soft smile that reached his eyes. 

“It would have been torture a century ago,” the man confessed. “Thankfully, it’s different now. As I told you the last time, I only want you to be happy. I think you may actually have a chance at it this time as long as you don’t ruin it. Until you and Dori _are_ bonded, however, it falls to me to make sure you don’t work yourself to death. So, bath and then sleep. Yell if you need me.”

His old friend carefully spun Hades around and nudged him towards his bathroom. The brunet twin took the hint and continued walking as he heard Hythlodaeus duck into the office to gather his work.


	18. Connection

Once Hythlodaeus had arranged his work on the dining room table, he focused on preparing Hades’ bed. After the immaculately made bed had been turned down, he lightly knocked on the door to the adjoining bathroom. The sudden splash confirmed the man’s suspicion—Hades had fallen asleep in the tub. He waited a moment or two before addressing his twin through the closed door.

“Do you need help?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hades spat back. “I’m tired, not inept; I can still bathe and dress myself. Focus on approving or rejecting that stack of concepts I saw on your desk.”

The sounds accompanying the words signified that Hades had gotten out of the bathtub. Hythlodaeus’ hand dropped to the door handle as he considered opening the door just to spite his old friend, but decided against it. His mind had already been made up regarding other matters that would likely end in Hades firing him. Again.

Instead, the purple-haired man returned to the dining room and sat in front of his work, humming to himself as he sorted through the documents. Hades appeared at the bathroom door a few minutes later, dressed in a black robe. 

“You really don’t need to stay. I’ll be fine after a night’s rest.”

Hythlodaeus set his pen aside and fully focused his senses on Hades. The barrier typically protecting the man’s soul had vanished, allowing him complete access to it. A frown made its way onto his face at what he felt radiating from his old friend: exhaustion, frustration, doubt. 

His frown softened upon noticing the bags that had formed under Hades’ eyes.

_When did those get there?_ he wondered.

One of Hades’ hands rubbed at the spot as the thought passed through their connection. A hesitant reply came a moment later.

_Typical insomnia._

_ Is there anything I can do?_

Hades lowered his gaze. The connection between the two wavered, but Hythlodaeus still caught the silent request. He smiled at the other man and stood from his seat with a nod. 

They entered Hades’ bedroom through the bathroom, Hythlodaeus took a moment to remove his shoes, vest, and tie before laying down in the bed. The pair settled into nearly forgotten positions with their arms languidly draped over each other. 

His old friend relaxed with a sigh and closed his eyes. The idle thought that passed through their connection made Hythlodaeus chuckle, despite the way it set his heart racing.

_We already talked about this._

_It would be different. _

_ Because of her?_

_ I’ve seen the way you look at her._

_ She rejected me the day we switched._

_ She thought it was a test._

_ It was._

_ Liar._

Hythlodaeus pulled Hades closer. The other man lazily opened his eyes when their foreheads touched and a faint smile settled onto his face. A quiet confession came through as the pale golden eyes closed again.

_I love her, but I miss you. We could all be happy this way._

“Does she know?” Hythlodaeus whispered, adding the implication through their connection.

“Not unless you told her,” Hades murmured sleepily. “She vaguely knows about the one after you, but she doesn’t know about us in that sense.”

Hythlodaeus smirked.

“I thought you didn’t like sharing.”

The smile on Hades’ face twisted into a smirk as the rest of him seemed to relax further. 

_You’re different; you’re Daeus._

_ So you’re fine sharing me as well as **with** me?_

A thumb came up to gently stroke the edge of Hythlodaeus’ jaw. It slowed after a moment then simply slipped off, coming to rest with its fellows attached to Hades’ hand. Contentment radiated through the connection from the direction of his old friend. He hummed a gentle response through their bond while his own fingers brushed through the sleeping man’s hair.

Hythlodaeus lost track of how long he stayed there, drifting in and out of sleep and finding Hades still in his arms whenever he awoke. After about the fourth time, he carefully slipped out of the other man’s arms and off the large bed. The purple-haired man stretched as he made his way back to the dining room, ignored the papers on the desk, and continued to the sitting room. 

During the day, Hythlodaeus had skimmed through Hades’ notes while his old friend had been at work. While his predecessors agreed that expanding the city was a tiresome task, it shouldn’t drain one’s energy the way it did to Hades—especially considering he knew the power held by the man.

Hythlodaeus was worried and he didn’t know to whom else to turn. He stopped in front of the communication device set into the wall and placed the personal receiver into his ear before inputting the code he had been given centuries ago. 

The device beeped in his ear a few times before an annoyed voice answered, dripping with venom.

“Do you have _any_ idea what time it is? How do you even have this number?”

“My apologies, Aph,” he whispered. “It’s Hythlodaeus. You asked me to get in touch if Hades ever needed your help.”

The voice gasped before changing altogether to mimic his own.

“Hythlodaeus? It’s been forever, boy; I thought you’d never call.”

He rolled his eyes at the previous Emet-Selch’s words and leaned against the wall by the device.

“You said I should only call in an emergency.”

“I know what _I_ said, but since when have you been so obedient? Would it have cost anything to ring me up now and then to let me know how things are going?”

“Then consider this an update,” Hythlodaeus countered before explaining Hades’ current state.

Aph remained politely silent during the explanation. Their silence continued for a few minutes afterwards. When they spoke, their voice had shifted again to the one they had typically used when addressing the people as Emet-Selch.

“Can’t use aether, you say?”

“Not that I’ve seen; it’s as if he’s drained of it,” Hythlodaeus replied softly. “He said he should have used an amplifier, but none of the notes I saw make mention of that.”

“It shouldn’t be required and the process certainly shouldn’t leave someone like _him_ drained of aether.”

“This isn’t the first time, either. It’s happened before when doing anything that draws too heavily upon his aether. We’ve come to assume he’s simply doing things inefficiently, but he won’t do anything beyond that.”

A moment passed in silence before Hades’ predecessor scoffed.

“Don’t tell me the foolish boy is still working with one hand tied behind his back!”

The words caught him off guard.

“What do you mean?” he asked, but Aph continued as if he hadn’t spoken.

“I see he’s still an arrogant little thing. I warned him countless times—and I know for a fact Elidibus has as well! The boy’s lucky to have you keeping an eye out for him. Write down what I’m about to tell you and give it to him once he’s recovered. Tell him he absolutely _must_ do this if he hopes to actually achieve anything in his position other than an early grave.”

Hythlodaeus scrambled back to the dining room to fetch a pen and a clean sheet of paper. He wrote down Aph’s words and quietly read them back to make sure they were correct.

“Now, this part is for _you_, boy,” Aph added once Hythlodaeus had finished. “Go with him. Since you’re Emet-Selch’s personal assistant, the records room should respond to you as well. The process will likely render him unconscious for a time—it’ll be up to you to get him somewhere safe so he can fully recover.”

He frowned at the words he had written.

“Will he know what this does?”

“No. It was built by the first Emet-Selch and kept a secret from the rest of society. Only those in our position know of it and _we_ only learn of it after a few centuries in the seat. Few of us have ever had the potential to use it—thankfully, the boy is one of them. The last Emet-Selch who did was the one who erected the spires you see in Amaurot that draw in ambient aether. She created and attuned them in a day, solving our aethereal concerns. 

“If you’re worried about tricking him, then spare yourself and blame it on me. It’s my idea, after all. Trust me, this will be for his own good. The boy won’t be injured. On the contrary, it’ll make him reach his full potential whether he wishes it or not.”

Hythlodaeus nodded and walked back to the sitting room.

“I’ll let you know once he’s done it.”

“You won’t have to,” came the dismissive reply. “Concern yourself with the boy—I have others who call me more regularly to tell me whether or not he poked his nose about in the Bureau’s basement. On that topic, I’ve heard that little Lahabrea finally managed to convince a certain Wildling to move back to Amaurot.”

He froze at the statement.

“Back?” he echoed.

Aph’s voice shifted again to mimic that of Hythlodaeus.

“Ah, have I said something I shouldn’t have? Well, no matter. If you see the old man, then give him my warmest regards. Give him my number, as well—I would love to catch up with him.”

“I will. Thank you, Aph.”

“You’re welcome as ever, boy. Do call more often, will you?”

A low beep in his ear informed Hythlodaeus that the call had ended. He returned the receiver to its place and glanced again at his writing. Something about the previous Emet-Selch’s words bothered him; for once, he couldn’t put his finger on _what_ exactly it was. 

From their explanation, the process would help Hades, but also be irreversible and refused to explain any further. They also knew Lukos, who had apparently lived in Amaurot before, but made no mention of it; it seemed Eudora didn’t know either.

He took a deep breath and set his worries aside to be addressed later. The first thing was to make sure Hades replenished his aether before anything else could happen and he could puzzle out Lukos another time.

Hythlodaeus carefully folded the paper as he walked back to Hades’ bedroom. He tucked it into the pocket of his vest as it hung over the back of a chair and slipped back into bed. A pale yellow eye cracked open a sliver to glance at him while a drowsy question drifted through their connection.

_Where were you?_

_Taking care of something,_ he replied, pulling his old friend into his arms. _Don’t worry; I won’t move the rest of the night._

A deep hum vibrated in Hades’ throat as his arms possessively wrapped around Hythlodaeus’ torso. The purple-haired man finally allowed himself to drift off to sleep.


	19. Clothes

Pale golden eyes eased open to find an overly familiar face sleeping in front of him. His arms were still wrapped possessively around the man’s torso and, to his delighted surprise, he discovered a hand grasping the front of his shirt. He spent a moment studying the dark purple locks that curled on the pillow before his attention shifted downwards.

A smile crept across his face as he buried it into the crook of the man’s neck. A confused rumble tickled the skin on his cheekbone and eyelids just before the other man drew back to gently kiss his temple.

“You truly missed this,” Hythlodaeus noted softly. 

“I do not lie, remember?”

Hades tightened his hug around Hythlodaeus, pulling the other man closer. His old friend huffed out a laugh.

“Instead you see how far you can go before your consequence activates.”

“It hasn’t yet.”

“No, it has,” Hythlodaeus countered with a frown twitching the corners of his lips. “Do you remember that time you said that you felt like you had lost half a bell and had no memory of it? That was the consequence activating.”

A chill shuddered through Hades at the faint memory of waking up disoriented. He had considered asking Hythlodaeus for the details, but never dared to do so. The thought slipped through their connection before he could stop it. The purple-haired man hesitated, but explained in a low whisper that slowly deepened into a growl.

“It was when you tried to say that you never _cared_ for me. While you were with _her_.”

Jagged, pale gold spikes formed over the surface of Hythlodaeus’ emerald green soul. As if to punctuate his words, he tightened his hold on Hades’ shirt. Something clicked into place in Hades’ memories while he watched the anger fade from his twin’s eyes and soul as quickly as it had risen.

_She left Amaurot soon after we fell out. The previous Shachar had mentioned some complaints she brought forth to him regarding harassment from mostly unrelated citizens. The claims were discovered to be unfounded, but they all had one obscure thing—or rather connection—in common._

A smug smirk twisted Hythlodaeus’ lips as the realization bled through their bond. The hand clutching his shirt stiffly released it and tried to smooth over the wrinkles.

“And you claim _I’m_ the possessive one,” Hades chuckled. “You sent a veritable gang after her.”

“She _hurt_ you. She dug her claws into you and dragged you down to depths from which I thought you would never recover. I wasn’t about to let her get away with it.”

He glanced down at the wrinkles on his shirt. With barely a thought, aether collected in the fingertips he brushed against the spot, relaxing the fabric and wiping away the wrinkles.

“Is Dori different, then?” he asked, focusing on his oldest friend. “Would you be willing to share me with _her_?”

Hythlodaeus smiled his typical warm smile. Emotion flowed into him through their connection, warming his chest and enveloping his heart.

“Without hesitation. She actually cares for you; she has since we were children—you simply never noticed.” 

More things clicked into place. Hades released an exasperated sigh and rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling. Hythlodaeus chuckled and draped an arm over his chest.

“How do we tell her?”

“Be more specific.”

Hades pointedly turned his head, held Hythlodaeus’ gaze, and silently waved a finger between them. The other man quietly gasped despite the smile that brightened his face.

“Ah. Does this make us a thing again?”

“Do not make me kick you out of this bed,” Hades spat.

A throaty chuckle preceded Hythlodaeus lifting his head and resting it on Hades’ shoulder.

“You wouldn’t.”

Hades narrowed his eyes, considering how much aether it would take to force the other man away. It gathered within him at the thought.

A gentle nudge against his soul distracted him enough that the aether dissipated. His eyes drifted closed as the emerald and gold soul enveloped his with its familiar warmth. He shook his head and let his body relax. They lay in silence for a few minutes, punctuated only by the rise and fall of their chests, and savored the other’s company.

Hythlodaeus broke the stillness.

“The three of us should talk.”

Hades furrowed his brow and wrapped an arm around the other man, who interrupted him before he could object.

“We won’t know unless we discuss it. I won’t skulk in the shadows, Hades; I don’t _enjoy_ keeping secrets from others—especially my friends.”

A thought flitted through his mind. He sensed Hythlodaeus’ mirth ripple through their connection as the words tumbled out of his mouth.

“With your preference for talking, I should nominate you for Speaker if Lahabrea ever steps down.”

“You know perfectly well I don’t want a seat on the Convocation, despite all the attempts to get me one. I’m perfectly happy with my current role.”

“Being my assistant?”

“Or ‘Chief of the Bureau of the Architect’ to use the actual title.”

“Fancy talk for ‘primary assistant’,” Hades smirked and lifted his head. “Mind making some coffee, dear assistant?”

Hythlodaeus shook his head, sat up, and ran a hand through his loose hair before smoothing out the wrinkles in his pale blue dress shirt.

“Bath first; I’d like to change out of these clothes,” he explained, slipping out of bed and over to Hades’ closet.

He watched his old friend peruse the shirts and pants, bringing back memories of when they shared an apartment in their Akadaemia days. The man eventually settled on a dark green shirt and black pants. 

“You need lighter colors,” Hythlodaeus noted as he turned towards the bathroom door.

A smirk dragged the corner of Hades’ mouth upwards while he stretched and sat up in bed.

“You are welcome to walk home and get your own clothes. There’s time before we officially start work for the day.”

The answer came in the form of a sneer over the purple-haired man’s shoulder.

“Or you could wear the same thing as yesterday,” Hades offered. “I’m sure that would prompt a few questions from Dori.”

The sneer twisted as a faint blush tinged Hythlodaeus’ cheeks.

“If I’m making coffee after my bath, would you mind taking care of breakfast?” he asked.

“I suppose it’s only fair. You _did_ do me the favor of spending the night, after all. Although it won’t be fully natural since I don’t have much in the fridge.”

“I don’t expect it to be. Don’t overcook the eggs,” the man added, closing the bathroom door behind him.

The moment it clicked shut, Hades allowed a genuine smile onto his face.

He plated breakfast just as the bathroom door opened to reveal a fully-dressed and freshly shaved Hythlodaeus with yesterday’s clothes carefully folded over his arm. His old friend set the clothes on a counter before beginning the coffee. He wandered over to the clothes while Hythlodaeus was distracted, making sure to keep any emotions from slipping through their connection. 

The other man went still the moment he noticed.

“What are you plotting?”

“You said I need lighter colors, did you not?” he countered, eyeing the pale blue shirt. “That color looked rather nice on you; I can imagine it would on me as well.”

“You can’t wear my clothes.”

“You’re wearing mine.”

“Those are _dirty_.”

Hades cleaned them with a snap of his fingers. He offered an innocent smile to his twin when the man turned to face him. Without breaking eye contact, he snapped again, switching the clean clothes for the pajamas he wore. Annoyance rippled through their connection from Hythlodaeus’ end.

“What about when Dori sees?”

“She won’t; I’ll be in my robes all day,” he replied, snapping a mirror into existence to admire himself.

He had to admit the color suited him almost as well as it had suited Hythlodaeus.

“Did you forget she’s coming for dinner?”

He momentarily froze at the reminder. The mirror vanished as he constructed a response.

“Doesn’t mean she’ll remember you wore this yesterday. Besides, I could own a shirt this color.”

Hythlodaeus crossed his arms.

“Hades, the only light color in that entire closet is _white_.”

He bit his tongue and glanced at the door to his room from the corner of his eye. His old friend had a point. But still…

“You’re obviously wearing something from _my_ closet,” he countered. “Explain that.”

“I spent the night and we wear the same size. It would be impractical for me to walk home just for a change of clothes.”

“We both know she’ll then ask _why_ you spent the night. You would therefore be left with explaining my condition last night, which I would much rather you didn’t mention because I don’t want her to worry.”

“The condition I’ll return to in a moment,” Hythlodaeus said, holding up an index finger for emphasis and bringing up the other as he continued. “The other option, which you have so conveniently left unmentioned, is that we can let it lead in to the talk I wanted to have with her. Yes, I realize that invalidates my initial concern, which is why I was never one to spend much time in the Hall of Rhetoric. Still, I feel I win this argument with either outcome.”

Hades clenched his jaw in annoyance. He glared at the other man for a moment before tsk-ing.

“Fine, but I’m not changing; I like this color. We’ll talk to Dori tonight. Now what’s this about returning to my condition?” 

Hythlodaeus picked up one of the plates containing a quickly cooling omelette and offered the other one out to Hades. He eyed his twin suspiciously as he crossed the kitchen to accept it. The pair leaned against the counter and ate as they waited for the coffee to finish brewing while Hythlodaeus explained what he had done after Hades fell asleep. 

“You went behind my back, looked through my notes, and called my _predecessor_?” he hissed. “You’re fired as soon as this meal is over.”

“No I’m not. I did it because I was _worried_ about you—and it seems I was right to be. There’s something in the basement that can help you. The paper is in my vest if you don’t believe me,” he said, tapping the pocket for emphasis.

Hades slipped the paper out and unfolded it to reveal Hythlodaeus’ familiar shorthand. He read through it, concluding with a sigh.

“I find it hard to believe such a thing exists. I haven’t seen anything that would fit this description in the basement and I’ve seen no mention of it in anything I’ve read from all of the previous Emet-Selchs.”

“Have you taken a full inventory? What if it was something passed down orally?”

“Why would Aph not tell me? If they knew it would help, then why wait until _now_ to bring it up?”

Hythlodaeus shrugged, then allowed his shoulders to slump as he nudged the remains of his omelette with his fork.

“I think you should go through with it,” he said softly. “They wouldn’t suggest something that would kill you.”

Another sigh. He tried to think of a retort, but his predecessor’s words flashed through his mind.

_“The foolish boy is still working with one hand tied behind his back!”_

Hades knew very well what they meant, but it was something he didn’t want to admit to anyone—not even Hythlodaeus. The thought of what would happen if he went through with it frankly _terrified_ him. A multitude of outcomes flooded his mind, drowning his consciousness in likelihoods and dragging him under the surface.

A light touch brought his vision back into focus. The feeling of a hand on his shoulder made him look at Hythlodaeus to find his old friend watching him with a furrowed brow. Doing his best to keep the worst of it out of their connection, he let the other man feel some of his worry.

He found himself suddenly pulled into an embrace, one arm wrapped around him while the hand of the other stroked his back.

“I’ll be there,” Hythlodaeus assured him. “You know I won’t let you do this alone.”

The gentle whisper teased tears into Hades’ eyes. He instinctively hugged Hythlodaeus and let his gratitude be felt through their connection. The other man pulled back and warmly smiled as he wiped the tears from Hades’ face.

A sudden knock echoed throughout the apartment. The pair frowned at each other in confusion before glancing towards the front door. Without the barrier protecting his soul, Hades froze at what he saw—a beautifully pure aquamarine soul patiently waiting for a response.


	20. Talk

Hades motioned for Hythlodaeus to stay in place as he snapped his fingers and felt his face cool off. The soul waiting at the door perked up and he forced back any worries that cropped up while he entered the reception area. A deep breath steadied him just before he opened the door.

Eudora removed her mask and smiled at him.

“Morning Ha—” she started, before her brows furrowed. “Daeus? No, your hair’s wrong. You _are_ Hades. Are you wearing Daeus’ clothes?”

“Are you trying to give me whiplash, Dori?” he asked with a smirk. “Come in; we were just about to have coffee. Have you eaten already? I could make an omelette for you, but it won’t be anywhere near as good as the one Daeus made in Thalassa.”

The blonde recovered quickly and stepped inside so he could close the door. Her mask and robes vanished to reveal the black skirt and white blouse underneath.

“Is Daeus already here?” she asked, following Hades into the residential part of the floor. “How early did—” 

She stopped mid-sentence. Hades turned to find Eudora staring at the man who had peeked out of the kitchen. Her brows were once again furrowed and her mouth hung open as a finger wavered between the two men.

“Those are definitely more like Hades’ clothes,” she noted. “Did you stay here last night?”

The men exchanged a look. Eudora frowned and crossed her arms when she saw the smug smirk appear on Hythlodaeus’ face.

“Did the two of you switch again?”

“Why not check?” Hades offered.

Silver eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he felt the telltale shiver go down his spine of someone looking at his bared soul. The woman blinked in confusion as she instead focused on Hythlodaeus.

“No,” she admitted slowly, “you’re both who you appear to be. What’s going on?”

Hades took her by the hand, fully getting her attention when he gently stroked it with his thumb. 

“Coffee?” he asked with a faint smile and pulled her into the sitting room. “I haven’t had any yet and would like some for the conversation we’re about to have.”

“What do you mean?”

“He means that we want to talk,” Hythlodaeus added.

The purple-haired man approached with three coffee cups on a tray with a small bowl of sugar and a matching jar of cream.

“And by ‘want’ we mean ‘need’,” Hades explained as his twin set the tray down on the coffee table. 

“Is everything alright?”

Another look passed between the men. A sense of reassurance rippled through their connection from Hythlodaeus’ end while the man handed a cup of black coffee to Hades and prepared one for Eudora with sugar.

“Everything is fine,” Hades said.

“Something has simply come to light and we wish to explain it to you,” Hythlodaeus added, handing Eudora her coffee before preparing his own with sugar and cream.

Her eyes darted from one to the other in obvious confusion. Hades sensed her trying to predict what the conversation would be about. He sat in one of the armchairs while Hythlodaeus took the other and Eudora took her spot on the sofa. His oldest friend smiled at them and launched into it.

“Dori, do you remember my telling you I thought I had found the right person, but we chose to go our separate ways?”

Eudora perked up and nodded, sipping at her coffee.

“Did you get back in touch like I suggested? Will Hades and I be attending your bonding ceremony?”

“Ah, not quite,” Hythlodaeus conceded as a nervous chuckle escaped his mouth. “He would much rather be bonded to...”

The other man hesitated. Hades felt his face heat up, but took a deep drink from his cup before filling the silence.

“You could say Daeus did ‘get back in touch’, but they honestly never lost contact with each other.”

She focused on Hades with a curious look. His heart seized when he locked eyes with her. Apparently noticing his reaction, the woman’s soul reached out to him. He instinctively shied away from it before catching sight of the sadness that entered her eyes. His soul extended to surround hers and gently embraced it. Hades held back his emotions from bleeding through the contact as he felt her sincere curiosity flow into his soul while aquamarine wrapped around violet and red.

_This is a bad idea,_ he thought.

_It will be fine,_ came the response from Hythlodaeus.

_Of course **you** think that; you’re an optimist._

“Do you know him?” Eudora asked.

“I do,” Hades replied hesitantly. “You might say I know him rather well.”

“Who is he? Will _I_ get the chance to meet him?”

_What if she’s completely against this? What if she storms out? What if it makes her hate me?_

_Then I’ll back off,_ Hythlodaeus whispered through their connection. The words held a sense of sadness. _We had our chance. I know you’ll be happier with her. I don’t want to get in the way of that._

_I... But I don’t want to choose._

_Then let me help._

“You already have,” Hythlodaeus said plainly.

Eudora raised an eyebrow and tilted her head as she studied the purple-haired man. She suddenly froze and Hades felt her soul tense around his. Her eyes widened then slowly drifted over to focus on him. He felt the question shudder through her soul before she asked it.

“Is it...” she hesitated, but he already knew. “Is it _you_?”

A knot formed in Hades’ throat. He considered lying, but the room whirled around him at the thought and the edges of his vision darkened. The man closed his eyes and nodded.

Eudora’s soul withdrew from him and condensed into a tight ball, leaving him feeling cold in the sudden absence of her warmth. He opened his eyes to find her staring at the space between himself and Hythlodaeus. 

“What do you need to explain?” she asked, voice suddenly frigid.

Panic welled up in Hades, leaving Hythlodaeus to respond.

“Hades and I are…” he started before stopping to tap a finger on his chin. “Would you be amenable to, shall we say, _sharing_ him?”

“You’re his _brother_,” she growled.

“Not by blood,” Hythlodaeus reminded her. “We do actually have different parents—we just look alike, for reasons unbeknownst to everyone.”

“Then why call him brother if the two of you…” her voice faded as disgust rippled over the surface of her coiled soul.

“A defense mechanism born of selfishness. I needed to change my perception of him in order to make our separation easier on myself.”

“You called him that when we were kids,” she spat.

“He did first view me as a sibling, but it apparently changed over time,” Hades interjected, finally finding his tongue. 

Her eyes focused on him. The silver orbs froze him to his core.

_Had they always been that cold?_

“What if I say ‘no’?”

“Then I leave him to you,” Hythlodaeus said with a sad smile and drew Eudora’s attention back to himself. “As I told Hades, he and I have already had a chance and decided it wouldn’t work.”

“Why would adding _me_ change things?”

Hythlodaeus glanced at Hades for an answer. The brown-haired man’s mouth worked silently in search of words, but found nothing.

The coffee cup vanished from Eudora’s hands and she stood up. Hades mimicked the motion, moving to block her exit. Silver eyes narrowed as she took a step forward.

“I… I love you,” Hades said, taking a step back and holding his hands up to stop her. “I love you, Dori, but last night I realized I _miss_ Daeus. I don’t know if I could choose between the two of you.”

The air in the room chilled until Hades could see his breath. 

“What if you had to?”

“I…”

He glanced at Hythlodaeus still sitting in his armchair with his legs crossed and his coffee in his hands. His oldest friend furrowed his brows and inclined his head towards Eudora. Hades shook his head.

“I can’t.”

“Then move.”

“No,” he whispered, shaking his head again for emphasis.

“_Move_, Emet-Selch.”

The sound of his title was like a knife to his heart. He tried to take a step towards Eudora, but she backed away. When he reached out to her with his soul, he found it still tightly curled up in an impossible-to-read ball.

Hythlodaeus called out to her in a gentle voice.

“Dori, if Hades can’t choose, then I will choose for him: he is yours for the reason I already stated.”

The look in her eyes softened as she glanced at Hythlodaeus. A sad smile crossed her face while she shook her head and retreated towards the window.

“No, Daeus. He’s willing to give you a second chance when he won’t even give me a first. I think that makes you the better choice.” Her eyes hardened when they turned back to Hades. “One more chance, Emet-Selch. Move out of my way.”

“Aren’t you _listening_, Dori?” Hades asked. “I said that I love you. I _want_ this to work!”

“Then _choose_.”

The knife twisted in his heart as the room spun. His mouth dried out while a pounding started at the base of his skull.

“I can’t…” he sighed. “You know I can’t lie, Dori. I can’t make myself choose.”

Eudora’s lips settled into a dry smile as she backed up against the tall window.

“I suppose that settles it. And to think, I came this morning because I was worried about how you seemed yesterday when you got home. I should have known you would be fine with Daeus here. After all, I only came back the other day. Who am I compared to someone who has been at your side this whole time? I’ll see you at the afternoon session, Emet-Selch. Good day.”

The blonde pressed her hand to the window and rested her weight against it. The glass vanished. Gravity took hold and Eudora fell through the window.

Hades’ heart plummeted. The man rushed forward and nearly jumped after her before Hythlodaeus grabbed the back of his shirt.

“Impulsive idiot,” he spat and scanned around. He pointed. “Did you forget what Lukos said?”

He focused his senses at where Hythlodaeus was pointing. Hades recognized the aquamarine aether swirling around a tawny-feathered bird flying away from the building. He followed it until it vanished behind a different building. His shoulders slumped as he stepped back and snapped, replacing the glass Eudora had dissipated.

Hythlodaeus spoke, but Hades ignored him. Instead, he focused inwards and withdrew his soul behind its familiar barrier. Another snap materialized his mask and robes onto his body and he left the apartment.


	21. Warning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments! 
> 
> I'm glad to hear people are enjoying(?) the story so far.
> 
> I'm with you, though. It hurts me, too :< I just want these idiots to be happy

Hythlodaeus threw himself into the day’s tasks to distract himself from the morning’s events. With nothing of the Architect’s to review, he finished filing the concepts on his desk and took the lift down to see if there were any more that needed approval. The clerks had a few concepts to hand over, which he took care of in an empty office on the main floor.

Just as he finished reviewing the last one, an attendant came in with a cup of tea and set it on the desk. He thanked the woman with a smile and held up the stack of papers.

“Lia, would you mind taking these to Ophis for me?”

“Of course not, Chief,” she replied. “Is there anything else?”

Hythlodaeus shook his head and left the office with his tea while the attendant headed for the record clerk’s office. He wandered, checking in with people as he passed their workspaces until he reached the bureau lobby—which seemed a little busier than normal. Pausing to adjust his white mask, Hythlodaeus stepped into the lobby and found a seat against the wall where he could enjoy his tea and watch people filter through the room.

His mind wandered as he sipped his drink and his heart grew heavier with each thought that passed through it.

_I should talk to Dori; let her know that I am serious about what I said. Would she even see me? I could try sending a letter to her apartment, but how would I know she received it? She’s just as likely to rip it apart. Not that I blame her. I should have never gotten into Hades’ bed last night. What possessed me to do that? I was perfectly fine. I was **over** those feelings for him. Now I’m back where I started—and I’ve helped ruin his chance with Dori._

He sighed into his half-empty tea cup.

“I doubt even a dozen cooking lessons will smooth this over,” he muttered.

A red mask caught his eye as a Convocation member walked up to the concept counter. Hythlodaeus stood and approached while they leaned over to address the attendant, ignoring the Amaurotine who had been called forward.

The attendant glanced around before motioning towards Hythlodaeus and saying something. The Convocation member turned around, revealing himself as Lahabrea, and closed the distance between them.

“Good morning, Hythlodaeus. I’m looking for Emet-Selch.”

“Good morning. Emet-Selch is out at the moment.”

“When will he return?”

“He neglected to say. Is there any way I can help?”

“Perhaps. Could we speak in private?”

Hythlodaeus nodded and motioned towards the door that led to the lift.

“Please come with me to my office.”

They rode in silence while he wondered what would cause the Speaker to actively seek out Hades. When they arrived on the floor, Hythlodaeus led the older man into his shared office where they sat down at his desk. True to his title, Lahabrea jumped right into speaking.

“Have you seen Shachar today?”

“Briefly,” he said. “It was earlier this morning.”

“Then you must have been present when it happened. Perhaps you _can_ help by shedding light on this morning’s events.”

What felt like a vise gripped Hythlodaeus’ heart and squeezed. He found himself thankful for his hood and mask hiding most of his face, allowing him to focus only on controlling the expression on the lower half.

“Ah, I’m glad to hear I can be of help,” he said. “Would it be possible for you to be more precise? I’m afraid that it has been a busy morning for me.”

“I can only tell you what I witnessed,” Lahabrea began, resting his elbows on the armchair and steepling his fingers. “I had invited Lukos to breakfast with me in my rooms. Our meal was just about over when a burst of air opened a window allowing a tawny owl to fly directly into Lukos’ lap.”

The vise tightened around Hythlodaeus’ heart and he could swear he felt cracks form in it. He sensed the familiar weight of his old professor’s gaze from behind the man’s red mask. Lahabrea continued.

“Imagine my surprise when the bird turned into Shachar and started crying into Lukos’ chest. They exchanged some words—the only one of which I caught was Emet-Selch’s true name. Whatever she said angered Lukos, who tried to stand, but Shachar stopped him by saying that it wasn’t worth it. She then dried her face and informed me that she needed the next few days for personal matters and would entrust the less official tasks of her office to her assistants. Lukos then excused himself and carried her out the door. Now, Hythlodaeus, tell me what happened.”

He shook his head, ignoring the feeling of his heart shattering and falling into the pit of his stomach.

“I’m sorry, Lahabrea. I’m afraid what happened is a personal matter.”

“Which of _course_ you’re privy to,” the man interjected, mouth settling into a grim line. “I am perfectly capable of putting pieces together, I’ll have you know. Emet-Selch did something to hurt Shachar deeply enough that she went to Lukos for comfort. Judging by the state she was in, whatever your friend did must have been horrible; Lukos seemed ready to _kill_. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen him like that.”

Hythlodaeus’ eyes widened and he leaned forward over his desk.

“_Would_ Lukos kill him?”

Lahabrea sighed, dropping his hands into his lap.

“Emet-Selch hurt his little one. Lukos would probably take immense satisfaction when ripping him apart with his bare hands. I think the only reason he didn’t immediately go in search of him was due to something Shachar said.”

_I need to warn Hades. Where could he have gone?_

“I have come primarily to warn Emet-Selch,” Lahabrea added, as if reading Hythlodaeus’ mind. “There is a very real likelihood that Lukos will kill him if Shachar is not there to stop him and I am loathe to see a new Convocation vacancy so soon—even if it would be easily filled.”

“There are few with his skill,” Hythlodaeus admitted, but could feel the man’s attention hone in on him.

“I can very easily think of _one_.”

“I cannot _Create_, Lahabrea. The one simple thing that even children are capable of doing, is impossible for me. I would be completely unable to defend the people should the need arise.”

“There are workarounds. I would suggest speaking with Lukos regarding that; he has experience teaching those unable to manipulate aether. Just make sure he knows which one you are before you approach.”

Hythlodaeus sighed and shook his head.

“You flatter me, but I would very respectfully decline the nomination were it to be extended. It would feel wrong to take up my old friend’s mask.”

“And yet you have willingly switched places with him,” Lahabrea retorted with a smirk. 

“Switching is not the same as replacing. Is there aught else I may do for you, Speaker? I am sure you need to prepare for this afternoon’s session.”

“I’ve actually called a recess for the rest of the week,” Lahabrea said as he stood up. “Elidibus is out of the city on business, Nabriales is away visiting family, and Shachar has now requested personal time. The fact that you claim not to know where he is also tells me that Emet-Selch has lapsed into one of his solitary episodes meaning he would be unlikely to attend any session in the foreseeable future. Should something present itself, I will call an emergency session and deliberate the matter with whomever answers the summons. Good day, Hythlodaeus. I can show myself out.” 

The man left the office and closed the front door behind himself. Hythlodaeus removed his mask the moment it clicked shut and slumped forward onto his desk, arms wrapped around his head.

_What do I do?_ he wondered. _Lahabrea’s right: Hades is isolating himself. The question is **where**? I need to warn him about Lukos. Then again, if Dori stays with Lukos and is capable of keeping him under control, then Hades should be safe for now. _

_Should I look for Dori first? If I manage to… well, I can’t fix **everything**, but if I manage to at least help matters, then maybe I can remove the threat of Lukos attacking Hades on sight. The only problem is that I don’t know for sure where **she** would go, while I might be able to figure out where Hades has hidden himself._

An idea occurred to Hythlodaeus and he slowly lowered his arms and lifted his head. He snatched up his mask and hurried out the door.


	22. Introspection

A faint breeze formed ripples on the surface of the pond. A stray leaf, pulled free from its branch, floated down and lightly touched the water, creating more ripples that overpowered those created by the breeze. A ruby-colored fish darted up and snatched at the leaf before releasing it just as suddenly when it realized it wasn’t food.

Hades watched—and yet didn’t—from his spot beneath the tree. The park was large enough and the place removed enough from the main path that no one ever bothered visiting it. After all, until he stumbled across it with her, not even the Architect knew it existed. Despite the memory associated with it, he was thankful for the hidden oasis of tranquility. 

He slowly released a sigh and leaned his head back against the tree. Even with his soul hidden, he saw the aether dancing through the air and flowing below the bark; the color of the tree’s natural aether still bore faint traces of aquamarine. Hades closed his eyes to block out the reminder and took a deep, but trembling, breath.

_Things certainly have changed since the last time I sat here._ He scoffed at the thought. _Why does it feel like it happened a lifetime ago? She passed her trial, became Shachar, reunited with her mentor, began her duties, showed me her old home, accepted me, grew angry at me…_

His eyes eased open as they studied the leaves far above him swaying in the breeze and the aether. 

_Was this where I first fell for her? When she thought I was Daeus and asked… No, that moment cemented it but I feel it happened earlier. When we showed our faces under the bridge that night?_

A faint, yet genuine, smile curled the edges of his lips as he sifted further back through his memories.

_No… A simple boyhood crush on the mysterious girl who suddenly appeared on the other side of the street without a caretaker. Oh, I was, and forever shall be, a fool, won’t I? Did Daeus know? Is that why he kept insisting I would be happier with her? Well, fool that I am, now I will never know._

Hades closed his eyes, displacing the tears that had gathered there, and folded his hands in his lap, wishing he could fall asleep and never wake up. His body relaxed at the thought and he felt his heart reluctantly slow down along with his breathing.

Soft footsteps in the grass pulled his consciousness back from the brink of whatever abyss he had found within himself. They slowed until he heard them stop at the edge of the tree’s gnarled roots.

“Is this the tree Dori made?” Hythlodaeus asked, awe evident in his voice.

He remained silent, convinced that if he did not answer, then his old friend would give up and leave him to his solitude.

Hades, the current Emet-Selch, the Angel of Truth, the Architect, he who prided himself on his impeccable memory, forgot how stubborn his oldest friend could be.

The steps renewed and drew closer, sound changing from grass to the dull thud of a root as was required, until they stopped just beside him. Hades stayed still with his eyes closed and face pointing upwards. He idly wished the other man would get the hint from his lack of response and how he had gone so far as to mute the connection between them.

Minutes passed wherein he sensed Hythlodaeus silently stand at his side, shifting only to rest his weight against the tree. When an arbitrary amount of time had passed, his twin spoke up again.

“It’s lovely here,” he said conversationally. “Is this really not on any of the city maps?”

Hades continued to say nothing. Hythlodaeus sighed.

“I know you can’t be upset with _me_; I haven’t done anything. Are you upset with yourself?”

A sigh threatened to well up in Hades’ throat, but he pushed it back down. The faint rustle of robes reached his ears and Hythlodaeus sat down next to him. Silence settled between them as the other man grew still. He relaxed anew, feeling himself drift away.

“Lahabrea stopped by the Bureau.”

The sound of Hythlodaeus’ voice brought him back again. The frustration was beginning to mount in his chest.

“He’s called a recess for the rest of the week since the Convocation is down four members.”

He instinctively did the math in his head. His brows drew together under his mask and he inadvertently frowned.

“Ah, so you are still somewhere in there,” Hythlodaeus teased gently. “Yes. _Four_ members: Elidibus, Nabriales, Shachar, and yourself. The first for business, the second for familial matters, the third for personal reasons, and you for… Well, I suppose _sulking like a wet cat_ would fall under personal, wouldn’t it?”

Hades finally leveled his head to glare at Hythlodaeus from behind his mask.

“Go away.”

Hythlodaeus frowned and removed his mask, allowing Hades to see the concern in his eyes.

“No. Not until you hear what I have to say,” his old friend whispered. “Lahabrea also said that he was having breakfast with Lukos when Dori came in crying. Lukos is apparently furious and the _only_ reason he hasn’t hunted you down is because of Dori, but Lahabrea isn’t sure how long that will last.”

He tensed at the news.

_Dori was… I made Dori… I…_

Hades cleared his throat.

“Do you know where he is now?”

Hythlodaeus shook his head and pulled a small, white crystal out of his sleeve.

“I thought I could perhaps track him with the hawk feather in your apartment since it seems to be bathed with his aether. Could you charge this for me so I can use the device?”

“Why not simply bring me the tracker?”

The other man glanced away, thumb lightly stroking the crystal in his hand.

“I wanted to find them so I could talk to Dori,” he confessed. “I wanted to convince Lukos not to hurt you. I wanted… I wanted to see if Dori would… _eventually_ give you another chance.”

Hades glanced down at the crystal he had given Hythlodaeus during their Akadaemia days. It was a workaround they had discovered: since their aether was compatible, if Hades infused a crystal with his own aether, Hythlodaeus could release it at his choosing and use their connection to loosely influence it. The technique was how they had… 

A knot formed in his throat at the memory of their time on the coast. His stomach churned at the thought of what had been lost.

“Why?” he asked, thick voice betraying his emotion.

A deep sigh escaped Hythlodaeus, who offered Hades a sad smile.

“Allow me to counter with a question of my own: You said you love her, so it must be true. Why did you say you couldn’t pick between us when _you and I_ already tried and found it wouldn’t be lasting? Why not give Dori a chance? You _know_ she’s nothing like the other one.”

He closed his eyes to sort through the emotions flowing through him. He finally released the sigh he had held back, along with a few tears that slid between his face and his mask, and partially reopened the connection between himself and Hythlodaeus.

His twin’s pale yellow eyes widened before softening. He leaned forward and rested his hand on that of Hades. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.

“Fear? My dearest Hades, you’re still letting that woman control you. She’s _gone_. You can’t let her keep dictating what you do with your life. You’ll never be happy if you do. Look at what keeping hold of the things she did _cost_ you.”

Hades’ eyes drifted down to the grass between them. He knew his old friend was right. Pale eyes wandered to where the other man’s hand lightly rested on his own. Their hands, while similar in build, were one of their most differentiating features: both had long, lithe fingers, but Hythlodaeus’ bore calluses on the pads—physical proof of his inability to manipulate aether. 

He gently turned his hand to trace his fingers over the calluses on his twin’s hand.

_Perhaps we truly were an experiment, _he mused idly. _Conducted to observe what differences occur between those who can use aether and those who cannot. _

His hand slipped out from under Hythlodaeus’ and gingerly picked up the man’s white mask. A smirk managed to creep onto his face as he pressed the porcelain mask into its typical place.

“What are you doing, taking off your mask in public?” he teased. “Are you trying to be me?”

A quick chuckle huffed out of Hythlodaeus, who secured the mask to his face.

“Let me see that crystal then so you can go fix my mess,” Hades continued. “Honestly, what would I do without you, dear Daeus?”

The white crystal exchanged hands. With the ease that came from countless years of practice, Hades closed his eyes and channeled his aether into it; only stopping once he sensed the aether spill out into the air around it. He opened his eyes and handed over the—now violet—crystal. Hythlodaeus flashed him a thankful smile and safely tucked it away up his sleeve before standing up.

The man suddenly tensed. He glanced upwards, grabbed Hades, and yanked him to his feet and into his arms. Something struck the root Hades had been sitting on with a _thunk_. Hythlodaeus pulled him further away, doing his best not to trip over roots as he backed away with Hades. 

A snarl reached his ears, making Hades turn around to find Lukos’ sword buried up to the hilt in the tree root. Instead of the Wildling, however, he saw a giant, white wolf glaring at them with dark blue eyes.

Hythlodaeus pulled him back until they were free of the roots and then placed himself in front of Hades.

_Run,_ he whispered through their connection. _I’ll distract him._

_Don’t be stupid; he’ll kill you._

_**You’re** the one he wants to kill, remember?_

The wolf charged, closing the distance in two bounds. Its maw opened wide enough to snap up the pair of them.

Hades summoned his staff, which flashed up to intercept the sharp fangs. The wolf bit down on the crystalized aether. Cracks spiderwebbed over the surface of the staff.

_We run or we stay,_ Hades insisted. _Whatever we do, we do **together**. I’ve lost Dori; I won’t lose you, too._

In response, Hythlodaeus grabbed his hand and ran, pulling him towards the path that led to the rest of the park. The wolf gave chase, easily catching up with its long gait. The animal swung the staff in its mouth at them. Hythlodaeus yanked Hades out of the way, who snapped and summoned jagged crystals along the length of the staff. The wolf dropped the weapon with a pained growl before resuming its pursuit. 

The pounding of paws on the path behind them stopped suddenly. Hades glanced over his shoulder to find the Wildling missing, only for Hythlodaeus to stop without warning. A growl from in front of them made Hades look forward to find the wolf blocking their path. The same realization passed through their connection at the same time.

_We’re trapped._

Hythlodaeus released Hades’ hand and stepped towards the wolf, hands up in a placating manner as he placed himself between the predator and its prey.

“We know that you know what happened,” he started.

The wolf snarled, baring its fangs and flattening its ears against its skull. The creature readied itself to pounce.

_Do all wolves have that many teeth?_ Hades wondered.

Hythlodaeus glared at him over his shoulder.

_Not the time, Hades._

“You are a reasonable man,” Hythlodaeus continued, facing the wolf. “I know you’ll listen. Turn back to your normal form and we’ll explain everything—right from the beginning.”

Dark blue eyes focused on Hades, sending a shiver down his spine at the fury held within them. A warning flashed through their connection a moment before the animal leapt at Hades. He summoned a barrier to deflect the wolf, but it braced all four paws on it before pushing itself upwards. It writhed in midair as gravity took hold of it and positioned itself to snap its jaws around Hades, barrier and all.

Hythlodaeus darted forward to push him out of the way. Hades snapped as they fell to the ground, pointing a finger at the wolf about to impact the empty barrier. The aether forming it shattered. The shards flew upwards to meet the animal, cutting into it and embedding themselves into its flesh. 

Aether surrounded the bloodied wolf as it touched the ground. Fur turned to feathers as paws became wings and talons. The shards fell out of the giant hawk and, to the men’s shock, its wounds healed.

_We’ll run back to the tree,_ Hythlodaeus suggested. _Can you create a path for us to run over the pond? If we make it into the wooded area behind it, we might be able to lose him._

Hades sent a positive response through their connection and the pair scrambled to their feet. The white hawk beat its wings and flew up before diving down. Talons raked towards them, but Hythlodaeus managed to barely pull them both out of the way each time the hawk tried to grab them.

The attempts stopped when they reached the tree and the hawk vanished from sight—although Hades faintly heard the sound of rustling leaves. The pair leaned against the tree for a moment to catch their breath; Hythlodaeus kept his eyes focused upwards.

“You have a gift, Hythlodaeus,” Lukos said, voice coming from the branches above them. “To my people, you would be known as a Seer.”

His twin panted out a word of thanks.

“My quarrel is not with you. Go; I do not wish to harm you,” continued the Wildling.

“I’m not leaving him. Not when I’m the only one he has left. I’m sure you understand the feeling.”

“Such _devotion_,” Lukos snarled.

The Wildling dropped out from the boughs with his sword in hand. Hades snapped a barrier into place and summoned his staff. Dark blue aether engulfed the blade as it pierced the barrier when Lukos landed on it. He pulled it back out to stab downwards again in an attempt to widen the hole. 

When the blade withdrew again, Hades forced his staff upwards through the gap. His weapon continued through, and knocked the blade away. He jerked a hand to one side and the staff followed the motion, catching Lukos in the temple and knocking the Wildling off the barrier. 

The white-haired man landed on his feet in a crouch and shook his head, ignoring the blood flowing down the side of it. Aether rippled around him, changing his form back into that of the giant white wolf.

_Pond,_ Hythlodaeus ordered before grabbing Hades’ staff and charged at the animal.

Hades reluctantly turned away and ran towards the pond. A snap echoed behind him. His mask shortened on his face until it covered only his eyes and his robes lost the embroidery marking him as a member of the Convocation. He stopped and turned to find his staff hovering beside what—for all intents and purposes—seemed to be him, judging by the mask and Convocation robes.

The wolf took a few steps back, glancing between the pair and tentatively sniffed the air. It focused on Hythlodaeus and snarled. Realization dawned on Hades.

_He’s wearing my clothes and has my aether._

The wolf changed back into a hawk in another ripple of aether before darting up into the sky. Hythlodaeus snapped his fingers. The staff shattered into dozens of pieces that chased after the bird. The pieces surrounded it and moved to stab the hawk at the same time. The bird vanished. The staff pieces struck each other and disintegrated while something small fell from where the hawk had been. 

_Hades! Pond!_ Hythlodaeus shouted through their bond. _I’m running out of aether!_

He subtly summoned the staff again for Hythlodaeus before hurrying to the edge of the pond. Hades dropped to one knee and pressed his hand against the edge of the soil before focusing his aether into extending the land. 

He sensed the aether in his staff strike something _hard_. The bird cried out in pain along with Hythlodaeus. Hades stopped and looked back to find his twin pinned under a talon, blood spilling from a gash in his shoulder. The white hawk snatched the staff in its beak and snapped it in half. The animal leveled its gaze at him before snatching Hythlodaeus up in its talons and flying up into the sky.

“No!” he shouted and ran to the spot.

The hawk quickly flew out of sight, but Hades could sense the direction they were traveling thanks to his connection to Hythlodaeus. 

His immediate thought was to give chase, but then another one occurred to him. Hades opened the front of his robes to access Hythlodaeus’ vest pocket. Inside, he found the paper containing his predecessor’s instructions. 

He snapped, changing his robes and mask back into his own and headed for the Bureau of the Architect. A plan formed in his mind as he recalled the layout of the basement.


	23. Intermediary

His left shoulder burned. The sensation was the one clear thing Hythlodaeus felt in the darkness—outside of exhaustion. His eyes fluttered open, revealing a soft glow before they shut against his will. 

_An effect of straining myself, he scolded. I shouldn’t have tapped into it that much. _

He tried to move his arm, but found it unresponsive as pain shot down his chest and back from the injury. A pained whine slipped through his clenched teeth. The man became aware of a pressure along his back and the back of his legs. 

_I must be lying down,_ he realized, as a draft of wind brushed against his cheeks. _Where’s my mask? _

A voice reached his ears. It seemed to echo towards him, giving him an idea of where he was in relation to it. The voice did not seem pleased in the slightest. 

“I told you not to hurt him!” 

“You said not to _kill_ him. The boy still lives.” 

The second voice was deeper than the first. Upon recognizing who they were, Hythlodaeus tried to call out to them. All he did was groan. 

“See, little one? He’s awake.” 

A gasp followed by footsteps scurrying towards him. A gentle pair of hands brushed his loose hair away from his face and cupped his cheeks. 

“Daeus?” Eudora whispered. “Can you hear me?” 

He groaned and succeeded in opening his eyes. Eudora was kneeling beside him, seemingly out of place in the cave due to wearing the same blouse and skirt from that morning. He immediately noticed her flushed face and reddened eyes—which were currently studying him below furrowed brows. Hythlodaeus managed a warm smile for her and carefully brought his right hand to stroke one of her arms; he faintly noted his robes and shirt were missing. 

“Hello,” he whispered. 

Relief flooded her silver eyes as her thumbs stroked his cheeks. 

“Sorry about your shoulder,” she said softly. “A certain _someone’s_ beak tore through something important.” 

She glared to her left. Shifting his head, Hythlodaeus noticed Lukos sitting near the mouth of the cave. The Wildling frowned at them before bowing his head. 

“My apologies, Hythlodaeus. I mistook you for the Architect.” 

Hythlodaeus smiled and relaxed to stare up at Eudora. 

“Oh good. My little trick worked.” 

“I had to remove your clothes to inspect the wound,” she explained. “The robe and shirt have tears in them that I’ll fix before we take you back to Amaurot.” 

“Don’t worry. Where’s my mask?” 

The woman leaned over and brought his familiar, white mask into view. 

“I took it off so I could tell if you opened your eyes. How do you feel? I have some herbs I can brew together for any pain you might have.” 

“That would be nice,” he admitted, trying not to flinch as he attempted to sit up. 

Burning pain radiated through the left side of his torso. He bit back a yell and relaxed onto the floor. 

“It’s probably better if you stay on your back for now,” Eudora frowned before calling over to Lukos. “Well, you know he’s awake now; go hunt down something to replenish your energy. Make sure to get something for us, too.” 

The Wildling nodded before turning into a normal-sized white wolf and leaving the mouth of the cave. Eudora moved to sit by the fire. She summoned a small pot of water, to which she added handfuls of different herbs. 

Hythlodaeus took the moment to look down at his left shoulder. It had been bandaged, although red was beginning to bleed through the wraps. He gingerly reached around to poke his left arm that lay across his torso, but barely felt it. Panic welled up inside of him as he tried to do anything with his injured arm. All he got for his effort was pain lancing through him that drew a cry from his lips. 

“Hey, hey, stop that,” Eudora whispered, coming back to kneel beside him. 

She rested a hand on his injured arm and gently stroked his right one. 

“Like I said, Lukos managed to wound you pretty badly. He drained too much of his resources in his attempts to get at Hades, otherwise you’d be recovering back in Amaurot by now. He said he should be able to get you back in the morning, once he’s had a chance to rest. I’m sure Emet-Selch can use his connections to get Mitron to tend you, himself.” 

Hythlodaeus sighed through the residual pain. 

“Hades and I saw Lukos heal himself; can’t he do that to others?” 

Eudora shook her head. 

“He could, but he’s concerned that your injury is too complex for him. The reason his self-healing can take care of serious injuries to himself is due to an odd mixture of healing magic combined with his shapeshifting.” 

The woman focused on his bandages with a faint frown. She murmured something under her breath as fresh bandages appeared in her hand along with a small jar of salve. Setting them aside for the moment, she returned to the pot on the fire. 

“I’ll change your bandages once you’ve had some of this to dull the pain,” she explained, stirring the liquid inside. “It should almost be ready.” 

He quietly thanked her, receiving a small smile over her shoulder in response. 

Hythlodaeus studied the cave ceiling and idly wondered where they were. 

_We must be close to the mountains,_ he thought. _I’m not sure where else you’d find caves near Amaurot. How did they get here so quickly? Did they fly? Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. At least I’m here now, so even if I **am** horribly injured and left unable to use my preferred hand, I at least achieved my goal of getting to them._ He took a deep breath and let it go as a heavy sigh. _What a price to pay. The things I do for these two. _

“Dori?” 

She partially turned in her seat to look at him. 

“I’m sorry.” 

Eudora frowned at him. 

“It’s not your fault Lukos attacked the two of you.” 

“I mean about this morning. I’m sorry for my part in it.” 

She closed her eyes and scoffed. He continued before she could refute him. 

“I mean it. I’m partially to blame. I wasn’t thinking about… well, anything really. It was wrong and I sincerely apologize for what I did. It was never my intention to come between you and Hades.” 

The woman stirred the pot one more time before moving to sit beside him. 

“Maybe it’s best that this happened now and not when we were further into our relationship. At least I know how he really feels,” she added, voice growing thick. 

“And how does he feel?” Hythlodaeus prompted. 

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as she motioned to him. He forced himself to sit up, gasping at the pain, but ignored it to move closer to Eudora. Her eyes widened and she tried to get him to lie back down. He caught the hand that came up to his uninjured shoulder and held it, whispering her name. 

“Dori, think about it. Do you really believe he doesn’t love you?” 

“What am I supposed to think?” she countered. “I did everything he asked. I was patient, I gave him space, gave him _time_ and then… then…” 

Hythlodaeus carefully wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her in for a hug. Arms wrapped around him and she cried into his right shoulder, tears flowing down his skin. 

“I know it’s hard to believe considering his actions,” he whispered, “but Hades _does_ love you. That he’s reluctant to show it is, admittedly, something he needs to improve on, but he said it, didn’t he? He can’t lie, Dori, or else it activates his consequence.” 

“He can stretch the truth,” she mumbled into his shoulder. 

“Where is the deceit in ‘I love you, Dori’?” he retorted. “Did Lukos tell you where he found us? Hades left the office after you did. He completely shut me out and left without a word. I only found him by tracing our inactive connection through the city. He was sitting under that tree you made the day of your trial. Even _after_ I found him, he still wouldn’t open back up to me. Do you want to know what did?” 

She pulled back from him to look him in the eyes. Hythlodaeus took it as a sign to continue. 

“Hearing that you went crying to Lukos and that you stopped Lukos from hunting him down.” 

“Self-preservation,” she scoffed. 

“No, Dori,” he sighed and shook his head in frustration. He changed tactics, managing to keep his voice even and gentle. “I’m not asking that you march back to the city and give him a chance to explain himself right this moment. I don’t expect you to. I’ve already told him that you deserve a chance; it’s up to you whether you want to give him the opportunity or simply distance yourself. But, I do hope that you will at least listen if he tries to mend that burning bridge.” 

Silver eyes stared down at the space between them. Her fingers idly traced the hem of her skirt as she posed a question. 

“What about you? You asked if I would be willing to share him, so those feelings must have been rekindled.” 

“They were,” he confessed, “but I also meant what I said: I won’t come between the two of you. I had my chance with him; now it’s your turn. I’ll even quit my job if it will make you believe me.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, head jerking upwards to scowl at him. “What would you even do?” 

Hythlodaeus shrugged, instantly regretting his decision at the resulting pain. He doubled over and clutched his arm. 

“Well I can tell you what you can _stop_ doing,” Eudora spat. 

She waited until the spasm had passed before easing him upright. The blonde lightly ran her fingers over the red bandages; her cool aether slipped into his injury, numbing the worst of it. 

“That should do it until you drink the medicine and I administer the salve.” 

He whispered his thanks while she tucked his dark purple hair behind his ear. Eudora repeated her question. The look in her eyes warned him that she expected a proper answer. The man glanced away in thought and smiled when an idea came to him. 

“I could focus on my attempts to help others like me,” he said. “I could open restaurants in each of the districts and establish connections with different suppliers. I could bring more attention to our condition and restart the research that was once conducted on finding a _solution_ for us. It would certainly keep me away from Hades, which would let my feelings for him cool down again.” 

“Would that make you happy?” 

The question struck him silent. He closed his eyes as he considered it, trying to ignore the curious feeling he got from the soul slowly unfurling beside him. Hythlodaeus took a deep breath before responding. 

“I believe it would eventually lead to my two oldest friends being happy, therefore it would eventually lead to my happiness as well.” 

Fingers lightly came to rest on his bare arm, getting his attention and sending a shiver through him. 

“But would you be _happy_?” 

He smiled warmly at the question and focused his gaze on her. 

“Of course.” 

An eyebrow arched over one of her eyes as she snorted. 

“Don’t lie, Daeus. You would be miserable.” 

“Perhaps for a time, but I would recover.” 

“And you would suffer so he could be happy?” 

“Don’t forget yourself, dear Dori. I have your happiness in mind as well.” 

A faint blush tinged her cheeks as she scooted back to check the concoction in the pot. A mug appeared in her hand and she poured some of the green-tinted water into it. She carefully handed it to him. 

“Between this and the numbing spell, I should be able to change your bandages without causing too much pain,” she explained. 

He nodded in understanding and gingerly sipped the bitter liquid. Once he had drunk what she guessed to be enough, Eudora took it away and began unwrapping his shoulder. Hythlodaeus turned his head away to the right, unwilling to see the state his shoulder was in considering how much it pained him. 

Eudora worked quickly, but gently. She spread the salve on his injury and he wondered if the lack of pain was due to what she had done or her light touch. A rag appeared in her hands for her to wipe them clean before she picked up the fresh bandages and started binding his shoulder. The woman lightly tapped his right arm when she was done and smiled at him. 

“Let’s hope the salve helps with the pain,” she said. 

Hythlodaeus brought his hand up and gently stroked the bandaged area. Nothing reacted. He held his breath and tried to move his injured shoulder. It twinged in protest, but the dull pain was bearable. He smiled at the woman. 

“Thank you. It’s working well, so far.” 

She returned the gesture and cleaned up what she had used with a wave of her hand while he stood up and carefully made his way to a patch of cave wall near the entrance. Once there, Hythlodaeus sat down and leaned his back against it. He adjusted his immobile arm to rest in his lap and let out a contented sigh. A stifled chuckle drew his attention back to the woman as she joined him, sitting between him and the mouth of the cave. 

Although they sat in silence, Hythlodaeus sensed her mind working. His suspicions were confirmed a few minutes later. 

“Can I ask a personal question, Daeus?” 

He curiously hummed and glanced at her. 

“You seem protective of him,” she noted. “The feeling I got in Thalassa was that you might even go so far as to _kill_ for him.” 

He hummed nonchalantly at her hesitation and rested his head against the cave wall. 

“If all that is true, then why did you offer to share him? Someone that possessive usually wants their lover all to themselves. And don’t think I accept that whole excuse of it being for our happiness.” 

“I…” 

The words died in his throat at the curious look in her eyes. Her soul had relaxed a little more and he gleaned a vague feeling of _intent_ from it. Blonde hair cascaded over her shoulder as she tilted her head to get a better look at his face. 

“Nothing? Let me try this then,” she said. “What do you think of me?” 

“You’re a good friend,” he replied. 

Even he could hear the insincerity in his voice. Eudora raised an eyebrow. Her eyes darted to the cave entrance before she drew closer to him. 

“Is that all?” she whispered. “Whose idea was it to share?” 

He swallowed as she gently leaned into his right side and lightly rested a hand on his chest. 

“His,” he whispered back. 

She smiled at him while her hand ghosted a path up to caress his neck. 

“And you, possessive and protective as you are, simply agreed to share the man you love with a good friend you haven’t seen in _centuries_? Ah, let me predict your answer. ‘It would make him happy.’ Is that it?” 

Hythlodaeus shifted, trying not to make eye contact with the woman nearly in his lap. 

“Was _everything_ in Thalassa a trick?” she asked quietly, hand reaching up to cup his face and draw it towards her. “Were all of our interactions solely meant to test me? Or was there something genuine hidden there?” 

His heart beat against his ribs as he stared into her silver eyes. Eudora fully bared her soul to him, letting him see every emotion contained within its aquamarine depths: anguish, rejection, despair, betrayal, anger. He felt his own rouse in reaction and reflect them, until he caught a glimpse at another hidden behind the stronger emotions. _Hope_. 

“If I’m being honest?” he asked quietly. “No. Not all of Thalassa was deceitful.” 

The hope in her soul flared a little brighter, beating back the other emotions. Part of his soul reached out and stroked the spot containing her hope while the rest delicately surrounded her. 

“What’s this?” he inquired in a soft tone as her face flushed at the contact. “Care to explain this emotion?” 

Eudora faltered, eyes suddenly darting across his face. He smiled and brought his arm around her to pull her close. The tip of his nose brushed along her cheekbone as he continued. 

“You are aware, that in suggesting I share him with you, Hades implied sharing you with _me_, correct?” He smirked as he continued the line and whispered into her ear. “You wouldn’t have to choose, either.” 

Heat radiated off her face and the hand curling around the back of his neck twitched. 

Hythlodaeus sensed the aether outside the cave react to someone’s presence. He released her and leaned back against the wall just as Lukos entered with two rabbits in his hand. 

The Wildling raised a white eyebrow while he studied them. His dark blue eyes settled on Eudora before honing in on Hythlodaeus. A growl rumbled in the back of his throat, but Eudora hopped to her feet and intercepted him. 

“Is this for us?” she asked, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Lukos.” 

Hythlodaeus sensed an exchange happen between the woman and her mentor. He saw Eudora’s aether reach towards that of Lukos and give it a reassuring stroke. The man seemed to relax and threw a glance at Hythlodaeus before continuing to the fire. 

Lukos drew a knife from his belt and started skinning one of the rabbits. Eudora sat next to the Wildling and watched him work, whispering a word or two on occasion. He either grunted or hummed in response or reacted with his soul. Hythlodaeus silently studied the pair and wondered what they were saying to each other.


	24. Emet-Selch

After Eudora and Hythlodaeus had eaten, the three of them sat around the fire. A pipe appeared in Lukos’ hand, which he packed with something from his pouch and lit with a twig from the fire. 

Eudora summoned a cup of tea for Hythlodaeus who accepted it with a grateful smile. He sipped the warm beverage, surprised to discover that it was similar to the tea he typically made at home. Reaching out with his soul, he touched the very edge of hers and let his gratitude flow through. From the corner of his eye, he caught her smile and felt it ripple through her soul. 

The purple-haired man suddenly felt the weight of the Wildling’s gaze. He cautiously looked over to confirm Lukos intently studying him while puffing on his pipe. Hythlodaeus didn’t know whether to hold the man’s gaze or break eye contact—but the longer it went on, the more awkward he felt at the silence. 

Lukos finally broke it. 

“Would you like to hear a story, little Seer?” 

He looked questioningly at Eudora before realizing the question was addressed to him. Hythlodaeus shrugged his working shoulder and nodded. 

“I suppose it would help pass the time until we fall asleep.” 

Lukos hummed around the pipe in his mouth. 

“Have you heard any of the stories concerning the first members of the Convocation?” 

Hythlodaeus shook his head while Eudora attentively sat up. 

“I haven’t either,” she confessed. “There really isn’t anything in the files about them—especially the first Shachar.” 

“A history lesson, then,” Lukos announced. “The War had finally come to an end after centuries of battles between the various city-states. A recently built city named Amaurot had been named the new capital and a man bearing the title ‘Elidibus’ was charged with gathering thirteen other people to help govern it. To that end, he invited those from other cities to be part of what he would call the Convocation of Fourteen. 

“Among them was a woman from a small, forest city that had been destroyed during the War. She was adept at listening to others and conveying the information in a way that was rarely ever rejected. She was ever helping those around her and bore a light within that shone even in the most desperate of times. She was given the title ‘Shachar’, Light of Hope, the Listener.” 

Hythlodaeus noticed a faint smile at the corners of the Wildling’s lips. Lukos’ heavy gaze settled on him before he could question the white-haired man. 

“The first Elidibus wished for the Convocation to represent the people affected by the War—including those who had once been banished from the cities. As the unarmed Emissary, he was allowed into the Wildling settlements, where he found his final Convocation member: a brash, young Wildling, capable of using aether, and willing to forge bonds with the cities. He was given the title ‘Emet-Selch’, Angel of Truth, the Architect.” 

They stared at him in surprise. Eudora recovered first. 

“The first Emet-Selch was a Wildling?” 

“A fact the citydwellers would keep hidden,” Lukos said with a nod. “Wildlings know it well due to the stories we pass from one to the other. It was why he was given the title of ‘Architect’, after all: he built bridges between the citydwellers and Wildlings long before those bearing the title focused all of their attention on improving the cities.” 

His gaze shifted to Eudora before drifting to the side so he could stare into the fire while he puffed on his pipe. 

“They fell in love.” he said after a moment. “The first Shachar and the first Emet-Selch. After a few centuries, they were bonded together in a ceremony attended by the entire city. The stories say the celebrations lasted for weeks. It was the first time in recorded history that a citydweller married a Wildling. It was seen as a sign of things to come—a sign of unity. Amaurot would achieve its goal of being a utopia where all were welcome.” 

Eudora frowned despite her mentor’s words. Something churned in Hythlodaeus’ stomach. 

“Then the first Shachar and the first Emet-Selch were sent to a city beyond the mountains. They had been tasked with establishing a transportation system between the known cities, with all of the lines passing through Amaurot. This city was the only one left. Its citizens were... opposed to the line. They protested the meetings convened to discuss it and sabotaged the Wildling’s work any way they could.” 

Lukos paused to take a deep pull on his pipe, which he slowly exhaled over the fire. 

“Their protests were peaceful and the acts of sabotage were minor, at least at first. As time wore on, they grew more and more violent against the Convocation members, despite Shachar’s talents and Emet-Selch's attempts to help them.” 

He rested his elbows on his knees and closed his eyes. 

“Peaceful protests turned into outright attacks. Minor sabotages became catastrophes that led to injuries and, at times, death. Of course, those were then blamed on Emet-Selch due to him being in charge of the project and—more offensively to them—a Wildling. Shachar defended him as a colleague and his wife, which only made the people focus their ire on her as they saw her as a traitor. Having grown up outside of the cities, Emet-Selch could defend himself against their attacks. Shachar, however, did not have the same skills. 

“Emet-Selch found her, stabbed multiple times and left for dead. He flew into a rage and slaughtered anyone he saw—man, woman, child… It mattered little. When he had finished with the citizens, he unleashed what was left of his fury on the city itself. The first Architect reduced an entire city to rubble. At dawn the following day, the few who had survived the destruction gathered in the center of what had once been their great city and found Emet-Selch’s abandoned mask, along with that of Shachar. Both of them, however, were nowhere to be seen.” 

“Do any stories say what happened to him?” Eudora asked. 

Lukos shook his head and slowly opened his eyes. 

“As far as anyone knows, the first Emet-Selch vanished after destroying the city.” 

Hythlodaeus thought back to what he and Hades had learned about the first Emet-Selch. The information given to them by Aph had been sparse, but he did recall the old Amaurotine mentioning the first Emet-Selch had abandoned the position without warning, prompting one of the first replacements. 

_One of the first because Shachar would have been the other,_ he realized. 

Eudora studied her mentor with a frown. 

“Why haven’t I ever heard you tell this story before?” 

“I have happier ones to tell,” came the simple reply. 

Hythlodaeus caught something flicker across the Wildling’s soul. 

“Why tell it now?” he asked gently. 

Lukos leveled his gaze at the purple-haired man. 

“I thought it prudent. I do not wish to see history repeat itself, little Seer, and have my little one killed due to the current Emet-Selch’s actions.” 

“But I’m not in any danger,” Eudora pointed out. 

“Hades wouldn’t let anything harm her,” Hythlodaeus added. 

The Wildling bared his teeth at Hythlodaeus in a snarl, clutching the pipe in one hand as if to stab it into the younger man. 

“Do you mean to imply the first Emet-Selch _let_ his beloved be murdered?” 

He tensed at the man’s reaction. Eudora interjected on his behalf. 

“Of course he didn’t mean that, Lukos. Right, Daeus?” 

Before the man could reply, a memory forced its way into his mind. 

_He stood in front of a tall apparatus. The weight of the mask on his face was strange, yet familiar. At his side was a shorter woman, dark brown hair swept to the side of her neck so it tumbled down her chest in waves. She bore the full face mask of Shachar. She tilted her head up at him and removed her mask, revealing dark green eyes filled with concern. _

_“Are you sure about this? The experiment was a failure.” _

_“Not fully, but I have a theory,” he replied, smirking down at her. “The purpose of this concept is to double the aetheric capabilities of the subject within. The failure could be chalked up to as simple a reason as ‘you cannot double nothing’. I won’t know for sure until I test it with someone already able to manipulate aether.” _

_“Zero times anything **is** still zero,” the woman murmured. “Still, I think it’s insane to use yourself as a test subject.” _

_He chuckled and pulled her close. _

_“You know very well that you aren’t the first to call me insane, my love.” _

_“Hopefully I won’t be the last,” she scowled. _

_His hand tilted her chin up. _

_“A kiss for good luck, then?” _

_He dipped in for a kiss, but found her finger pressed against his lips. _

_“I think I’ll keep it ransom,” she smirked. “It’ll give you a reason to survive your little experiment.” _

_He grinned against her finger and removed his red mask and black robes. Freed from the confines of the hood, black hair fell into his face, which he brushed back with a clawed hand. _

_“I’ll be back for that kiss, then. Wait right here.” _

_He approached the apparatus and stood inside it. _

“Daeus? Can you hear me?” Eudora asked, followed by a gentle caress on his face. 

Hythlodaeus opened his eyes to find the woman hovering over him with Lukos standing over his prone form. The Wildling’s eyebrows were drawn together as his dark blue eyes studied the man. 

“Oh good,” she sighed. “You fainted without any warning. How do you feel? Are you lightheaded? I hope it’s not from blood loss.” 

He smiled at her and shook his head before attempting to sit up; Eudora helped him and sat beside him so he could rest against her. 

“You truly are a Seer,” Lukos murmured as he remained standing. “Has this happened to you before?” 

“Not since I was a child,” Hythlodaeus confessed. “I thought myself cured of it.” 

“We really should get you back to a doctor,” Eudora said. 

“He’s no worse off than before the vision, little one.” 

“You don’t know that.” 

“I’m fine,” Hythlodaeus interjected. “Really, Dori; don’t worry.” 

“How do you even know he had a vision and didn’t just pass out?” she pressed, ignoring him. 

“I have known enough Seers to know what a vision looks like,” Lukos replied. “And since I have known many Seers, I am well acquainted with the feeling of having my memories forced from me.” 

“Perhaps if you were more _truthful_, the memory wouldn’t be forced from you,” Hythlodaeus noted. “Even if it did happen inadvertently.” 

Dark blue eyes focused on Hythlodaeus. The silent threat was palpable as Eudora glanced from one to the other. The younger man smiled innocently. He extended a tendril of his soul towards Lukos, who met it with one of his own. 

_“Your secret is safe, old one—much as I hate keeping them. We are family, are we not?” _

The Wildling seemed to relax at his reassurance. 

“You need training, little Seer. I will ask those I know and include the lessons when I begin teaching you how to fight.” 

His smile grew more genuine at the news. 

“For now, I recommend rest,” Lukos continued, sitting down near the mouth of the cave. “We have all had a long day. Sleep would do us well.” 

The Wildling leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Eudora flashed Hythlodaeus a concerned look, but he waved her away and motioned for her to rest. She pressed a light kiss to his cheek and moved to the other side of the fire—for which he was thankful since it kept her from seeing the blush spread across his face.


	25. Hades

Eudora woke up to the sound of two men whispering. 

“Did you ever get that kiss?” Hythlodaeus asked. 

“I did,” Lukos replied with a soft chuckle. “And a slap as well for scaring her when the machine made me pass out.” 

Eudora stretched, surprised when her hand dropped to feel a fur draped over her. She cracked open her eyes to discover a white pelt covering her which she stroked with a smile. 

“Did it work?” Hythlodaeus asked hesitantly. 

There was a quiet, hopeful tone in his voice. She heard a heavy sigh. 

“If it had worked as intended, those like you would no longer exist. Our hunches were correct: you cannot strengthen something that does not exist in the first place. I’ve continued searching, but there is no way to open aetheric channels within someone who is born with them closed.” 

Hythlodaeus let out a disappointed hum. The rustling of fabric preceded Lukos’ warm chuckle. 

“Don’t look so defeated. I saw you using the Architect’s aether. A feat which should be impossible, and yet you did.” 

“I literally couldn’t do it without Hades,” Hythlodaeus replied. “I have a crystal with some of his aether. I release it and try to influence it using the connection I have with him.” 

Lukos hummed. 

“A workaround that had not occurred to me. I wonder how common that level of compatibility is.” 

They fell silent as Eudora rolled over, pulling the pelt tighter around herself. She saw the pair sitting near the mouth of the cave. Hythlodaeus’ injured arm was in a sling, which he gingerly adjusted. Lukos sighed and glanced at the man beside him. 

“I apologize again, little Seer,” he said softly. “Both for the injury and for stealing you away.” 

A moment of silence then Hythlodaeus smirked. 

“You did it on purpose, didn’t you?” 

The Wildling chuckled and nodded. 

“Let’s say that it was not an accident. I realized which one you were after I had already injured you.” 

“You could have left me.” 

“I could have,” came the admission. “But then I wouldn’t be sure if the Architect would come looking for me.” 

Hythlodaeus’ eyebrows drew together and a suspicious look entered his pale eyes. 

“Why do you want Hades to come here?” 

The corner of Lukos’ lip drew back, creating a fanged smirk. 

“That’s my secret, little Seer.” His eyes focused on Eudora. “Good morning, little one. Did you sleep well?” 

Eudora nodded and stretched before sitting up, letting the pelt fall into her lap. 

“Did you hunt anything for breakfast?” she asked. 

“Not today, little one, but there’s oatmeal by the fire for you.” 

She crossed over to the smoldering fire, finally noticing the pot on the opposite side. A spoon appeared in her hand as she picked up the pot and joined the two men. Eudora studied the pair as she ate and mulled over what she had heard. 

The woman pieced most of their conversation together. They had spoken about Hythlodaeus’ vision and then his trick for using aether—which explained what he did in Thalassa. The rest was obvious; the only thing she couldn’t decipher was what Lukos planned to do if Hades came after Hythlodaeus. 

_Why does he even want **him** to come? Last he said anything, Lukos still wanted to kill him. _

Eudora frowned down at the thick oatmeal. A gentle brush against her soul made her look up at Hythlodaeus, who was watching her with a slight tilt to his head. A question rippled through his soul. 

_“What’s wrong?”_

Her eyes darted to Lukos as her mentor studied the back of the cave. Hythlodaeus tensed just as she was about to answer and glanced around, stopping when his eyes reached the back of the cave. Eudora sent the question back at him only to get a sense of foreboding in return. 

A ball of violet aether appeared on the other side of the cave. Eudora recognized who it belonged to moments before the aether grew into a swirling vortex. 

Hades stepped out of the vortex, dressed in his black Convocation robes and with a staff made of crystalized violet aether floating beside him. A white hawk feather hovered over his open left hand; it vanished when he closed his hand into a fist. His hood hung from his shoulders and his unmasked face let them see the glare he focused on Lukos. Once his sudden appearance had registered, however, Eudora stared at his hair. 

_Why is his hair white?_

Emet-Selch’s sigil flared into existence in front of Hades’ face. He inclined his head forward and the staff shot towards Lukos, whose sword appeared in time to block the attack. Her mentor leapt to his feet and dashed out of the cave, parrying and dodging the staff’s swings as Hades charged after him. Eudora and Hythlodaeus exchanged a glance and bolted after the men. 

They found the men fighting on the plain outside the cave. Lukos continued on the defensive while Hades kept up his attack. A wall of black knives appeared behind Hades and shot towards Lukos. The Wilding vanished from sight as they reached him, before reappearing closer to Hades. He swung his sword. Hades sidestepped it and slammed the butt of his staff into the ground. 

A crystal pillar erupted from the ground. It caught Lukos, flinging him up into the air. Aether rippled around the Wildling as he shapeshifted into a giant white hawk and dove back down at Hades. The talons struck a barrier which exploded into shards that dug themselves into the bird. Despite its pained cry, talons snatched at Hades while its wings beat the air. 

Eudora gathered her aether to separate the men, but stopped when Hythlodaeus placed a hand on her shoulder. 

“I think this needs to happen,” he whispered. 

“But what if he gets hurt?” she countered. 

“Who? Lukos?” Hythlodaeus replied. 

Eudora hesitated, eyes darting between the man and beast before landing on the purple-haired man. His eyebrows lifted at her lack of response while his jaw went slack. He immediately recovered, a mischievous gleam entering his pale gold eyes as his mouth twisted into a smirk. 

His hand shot out to pull her in moments before a giant white wolf slid past on its side where she had been standing. Hythlodaeus continued until they were safely standing just inside the mouth of the cave. 

The wolf twisted and squirmed until its paws were under it. The animal bared its fangs at the man calmly watching it from a distance. Hades held his hands out to his sides, palms facing upwards. A spiked, iron crown appeared and floated over Hades’ head, slowly bobbing up and down as his staff listlessly went behind his back. Taking advantage of the opening, the wolf charged forward. 

Violet aether seeped out from Hades’ feet. It surrounded the robed man as the wolf picked up speed and closed in on him, obscuring him from sight. Lukos aimed for the middle of the immense aethereal cloud and pounced. 

Two giant, clawed grey hands came out of the cloud and caught the wolf in mid-air. The animal struggled and bit into one of them, digging its teeth into one hand. Hades’ staff shot out from the cloud of aether and struck the wolf in the side of the head. It tightened its hold on the hand until a deep, pained yell echoed out of the cloud. The other hand grabbed the wolf by the scruff of its neck and tore it off the bitten hand. 

The hand—now bleeding violet aether—positioned itself below the wolf. A barrier surrounded the animal, which struggled against whatever force made it hover in the middle. The clawed hands clutched the sides of the barrier. Dark red aether forked between the fingers like lightning. The wolf howled in pain, which morphed into a scream as it turned back into a man. 

The barrier vanished and the hands withdrew into the cloud as Lukos fell to the ground in a heap. The aethereal cloud hiding Hades vanished and the man slowly approached the prone Wildling with his staff in hand. 

Lukos pushed himself up onto an elbow and snarled at the Architect. 

“You have one chance to kill me; you are dead if you fail.” 

Hades glared down at the Wildling and raised the staff with both hands. Before Eudora could cry out, Hythlodaeus covered her mouth with his hand. 

The staff vanished, along with the crown and the sigil of Emet-Selch. Hades sighed and took a step back from Lukos. 

“Then kill me. I lose her either way.” 

A sword appeared in Lukos’ hand. He stood up with some effort and stabbed. 

Eudora pushed Hythlodaeus away with a burst of aether and wove more into a barrier. The sword glanced off, missing its mark. Lukos followed the motion through and swung, only for the blade to get stuck in the aquamarine barrier. 

Her mentor dissipated the weapon with a chuckle and stepped away from Hades while Eudora ran forward. 

“It seems I have my answer,” Lukos said as he turned to face her. “That was my kill, little one. Why did you take it from me?” 

“I already told you not to kill him!” she spat. “And _you_—” 

The words died in her throat when she focused on Hades. His pale gold eyes were trained on her and his lips had fallen into a faint frown. She caught a glimpse of his soul out of the corner of her vision. Part of the violet soul hesitantly reached out to her. 

Eudora felt her face instinctively harden just before a barrier went up around her soul. Hades lowered his gaze following a nod; his soul settled at the base of the wall around hers. She did her best to remain stoic, but raised an eyebrow at him and ignored the sensation of something stirring within her chest. 

Hades offered her a soft smile. 

“Forgive me. I made a mistake. I was _wrong_. I shouldn’t have—” 

She closed the gap in two steps, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the lips. The man tensed under her and she opened her eyes to find him staring at her in bewilderment. Eudora smirked and placed a hand on his cheek, watching him slowly relax while her other hand went up to brush through his white hair. The hand on his cheek lifted only to quickly slap back down. 

“You complete _bastard_!” she yelled as he clutched his reddening cheek. “Do you have any _idea_ what you put me through?! Daeus better be the only other person in your life or I _promise_ you that you won’t have time to worry about Lukos finding out!” 

Hades froze while Lukos burst into laughter. Hythlodaeus walked up with a faint smile on his face. 

“Kissing and then slapping seems to be a trait shared by the Shachar,” he noted. “Are you alright, Hades? Cheek—and possibly pride—the only thing stinging, I hope?” 

Hades rubbed his cheek before glaring at his twin. 

“Don’t you start, Daeus. I’m still getting used to what that machine Aph mentioned did to my aether.” 

“What machine?” Eudora asked. 

“The one in the Bureau’s basement,” Hythlodaeus replied. 

“It doubled your aethereal capacity,” Lukos explained with a fanged grin. “Now I understand the change in hair color and how you were able to do what you did.” 

“How do _you_ know what it does?” Hades countered. 

“Because it was my concept, little Architect. I was the one who made it.” 

Eudora’s eyebrows drew together while Hades studied the Wildling. 

“But the basement was designed to only open for an Emet-Selch,” he murmured. 

Lukos smirked at Hades and crossed his arms. The latter’s eyes suddenly widened before darting to Hythlodaeus. Eudora followed the motion in time to catch the purple-haired man’s subtle nod. She puzzled over what was going on in front of her before it clicked into place. Her jaw dropped as she focused on her mentor. 

“_You_ were the first! The one in the story you told us last night!” 

He nodded while Hythlodaeus spoke up. 

“I assume we’re done here?” he asked with a friendly smile. “Does this mean I can be taken back to Amaurot to have my shoulder looked at?” 

“I’ll fly you there,” Lukos said, but Hades stepped forward. 

“Let me help,” he said and a violet vortex opened at a snap of his fingers. “If my coordinates are correct, you should come out just in front of the medical ward. Old man, I ask that you go with him since you should be intimately familiar with the layout and the staff.” 

Lukos smirked and nodded. Another snap and Hythlodaeus’ robes appeared on his body and his mask was in his hand. Eudora caught Hades’ eye and flashed a smile at Lukos and his charge. 

“We’ll be there in a moment,” she said. 

Hythlodaeus’ mouth curled into a smile below his mask. His soul brushed against the barrier surrounding Eudora’s moments before he stepped into the portal with Lukos at his heels. 

Once alone, she turned to face Hades who snapped his fingers to close the portal. She crossed her arms and studied the lanky man. His head lowered and his eyes grew distant as he gingerly rubbed his red cheek. Pale gold eyes widened without warning; his head snapped up to look at her. 

“You said Daeus better be only _other_ person in my life,” he murmured. “Does that mean…” 

“It means I’m giving you another chance,” she replied. “Daeus is your only pass—even if I find the thought of you together in that way… _strange_.” 

Her eyes darted to the side as she felt her face heat up. 

“He did also say that you… wouldn’t mind if…” 

Hades smiled while she searched for a way to finish her sentence. His soul surrounded her enclosed one at the same time his arms pulled her in for an embrace. 

“I don’t mind sharing you,” he whispered into her ear, sending a chill down her spine. “As long as you accept the same condition: Daeus is to be _your_ only pass.” 

She eased into him with a smile and let the wall fall from around her soul. Violet and red rushed up to greet aquamarine in a way that left her feeling giddy. 

“Daeus is the sole exception,” she confirmed. 

Eudora pulled him in by the collar of his robes for another kiss. He smiled against her lips as his arms tightly wrapped around her waist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3


	26. Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For ForcedRedacted.

“This is _indecent_.” 

Hythlodaeus stifled a laugh beside Eudora as they stood in front of the closed door to Hades’ bedroom. She smirked at the frustration in the Architect’s voice while Hythlodaeus wrapped his good arm around her shoulders and leaned on her. Eudora wrapped her arm around his waist to better support him, careful not to disturb his left arm in its sling. 

“Why don’t you come out and let us see?” Hythlodaeus asked. 

“_No_,” came the firm reply. “This… They cannot wear this. The old man has never worn anything this… _open_.” 

Eudora and Hythlodaeus exchanged a look. The latter rolled his pale golden eyes. 

“Did you forget where we’re going?” she asked, crossing her arms. “The tribe we’re visiting lives on the coast where it’s hotter. If they were to dress like Lukos, who is from a mountain tribe, they would die from the heat.” 

“Then I’ll die from the heat,” came the retort. “I am _Emet-Selch_; I cannot be seen dressed like… like…” 

“We’d help you with that, but we don’t know what you look like,” Hythlodaeus drawled. 

“A coastal Wildling would be a good guess,” said Eudora. “There should be a coat, you know.” 

“It doesn’t fully _close_,” he hissed. 

“It’s not supposed to!” she cried back while Hythlodaeus laughed into his fist. 

The bedroom went silent. The pair waiting outside exchanged another glance before Hythlodaeus approached the door and knocked. 

“Are you alright?” he asked. “Do you need help with anything?” 

“No,” Hades replied curtly. “I’m simply pondering the best way to tell Elidibus to piss right off.” 

“We both know you won’t,” Hythlodaeus replied, glancing back at Eudora for help. 

She sighed through her nose and walked up to the door. 

“We can’t refuse his summons—you know that,” she said. “It’s about time another effort was made to reach out to the Wildlings. Wouldn’t you like to be remembered as the Emet-Selch who brought the people together?” 

“Yes, but with more clothing. A shirt, Dori, is that too much to ask?” 

“Fine. I didn’t want to invoke this, but you leave me no choice,” she announced, throwing her hands up in the air before pressing her mouth up to the space between the door and the frame. “You. Owe. Me.” 

A silent moment passed, then Hades opened the door. 

“This must be a joke,” he said, crossing his arms over his bare chest. 

The white-haired Architect wore a light, black hide coat. Its collar and sleeves were trimmed with white fur; which, when it came to the collar, blended in with his hair. Black embroidery mimicked that of his Convocation robes, adding detail to the otherwise simple, fitted coat. True to his complaints, it did not close in the front—despite what the bones sewn into one side of the coat would suggest—leaving his lean-muscled torso available for all to see. 

Eudora didn’t bother to hide her smile as her eyes drifted down from his scowling face, over his crossed arms, and down his abdomen to the nigh-invisible white hairs that led into his black hide pants. One of his hands dropped down into her view and snapped—despite the black glove—bringing her attention back to his face. 

“Eyes up here, Dori,” he smirked. 

She took a deep breath and faintly noted the heat consuming her face. The woman pressed a hand to her cheek while Hythlodaeus cheerily chirped his opinion. 

“What were you worried about, Hades? You look good! I look forward to hearing how things went over at the coast.” 

Eudora raised an eyebrow and glanced at Hythlodaeus. The purple-haired man froze under her gaze. 

“What makes you think you’re staying, Daeus?” 

The smile slowly evaporated from his face as it gained a reddish hue. From behind her, she heard a deep chuckle from Hades. He stammered a reply. 

“I… You’re… B-but…” 

His blush intensified as he looked from Eudora to Hades and back. 

“S-someone has to stay,” he finally said. “No one knows how long the two of you will be gone. The Bureau of the Architect can’t be left without the Architect _and_ its Chief.” 

“But you’re the only one with extensive experience working alongside those who can’t use aether,” Eudora noted. 

Hythlodaeus shook his head and retreated a few steps into the hallway. 

“W-won’t Lukos be there?” he asked. “Surely he has more experience than I do.” 

“But your presence would be a show of goodwill,” Hades said, standing beside Eudora. “You can tell them everything you’ve achieved for those like you. You might learn something to bring back. You never know—you might even meet one of those Seers Lukos mentioned.” 

His hand came up to fidget with the strap of his sling. 

“B-but… they don’t wear masks.” 

Eudora caught his attention and mouthed ‘You owe me, too’. His eyes once again darted between the two of them before settling on the blonde with a heavy sigh. 

“Alright. I assume I must also wear something more ‘appropriate’?” 

She smiled and nodded towards Hades’ bedroom as a set of clothes appeared, neatly folded on the bed. The purple-haired twin’s shoulders slumped and he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. 

Hades turned her around once the door was closed. He leaned in close and pulled back the collar of her robes in an attempt to peak at what she had underneath. 

“What about you?” he asked as she slapped his hand away. “Aren’t you going to change?” 

“I will,” she assured him. “Once we’re through the portal.” 

“How is that fair?” he countered with a mock frown. 

Eudora smirked and took a step back to slowly take in all of Hades once again. 

“Seems fair to me after what you did.” 

He crossed his arms, blocking part of his chest from view. 

“And precisely how long do you plan to hold that over me? I’ve already apologized; what more do you want?” 

The woman frowned to herself as she felt Hades’ soul flood her with its curiosity. The question made her realize that she wasn’t quite sure what else she wanted from the two men. It came to her and Eudora leaned into him with a sigh, slipping her hands under his coat and around his back. While the man initially tensed, he slowly relaxed and settled his arms around her. 

“I want your assurance,” she whispered, pressing her ear to his chest and listened to his heartbeat. “I want you to always be honest and truthful with me. I want you to trust me. I want to believe in you and to be sure that you aren’t hiding something from me. Can you promise me that, Angel of Truth?” 

His heart skipped as his hold on her tightened—both physical and aethereal. Her soul happily wrapped around his while he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

“I swear on my title and my true name,” he whispered. “I will be open and honest with you. I will not hide things from you, for any reason. I will trust you with everything I have and am—or may my consequence be activated.” 

She tilted her head back to frown at him as the air around them hummed at his invocation. 

“You didn’t have to add that condition.” 

“I want you to know I’m serious,” he replied with a faint smile. He ducked his head to purr in her ear, “I’ll make everything up to you—just give me time.” 

The sound sent a chill down her spine. Fingers tangled in his fur collar and hair as she pulled him in for a kiss. She grinned upon breaking it off. 

“You better,” she whispered. 

A blush crossed Hades’ face along with a partial grin. 

The door to his bedroom opened, revealing Hythlodaeus in pants and black shoes similar to the ones worn by Hades and a coat folded over his uninjured arm. 

“Can one of you help me?” he asked. 

“And there you were offering _me_ help,” Hades teased. 

He walked over with an exaggerated sigh to help his twin thread his injured arm through the sleeve of his coat. 

Once accomplished, the white-haired twin smoothed out the coat, taking care not to damage the blue iridescent feathers on the shoulders, and put the other man’s arm back in its sling. As Hythlodaeus studied himself, the small, black scales covering his coat turned dark green whenever they caught the light at just the right angle. His face turned scarlet when he realized his coat did not close either. The muscles on his chest were more defined than Hades’, bringing a faint blush to her face as she wondered how else the near-identical twins differed. Her eyes dipped to the faint line of dark purple hair trailing down into his pants. 

Pushing those thoughts aside, Eudora studied the pair, proud of how the clothes came out. The white in Hades’ outfit would denote him as someone who could use aether, while the bones marked him as a sorcerer and the embroidery would let the Wildlings know he is a member of the Convocation. 

The feathers on Hythlodaeus’ coat would tell them he has the abilities of a seer, whereas the scales covering his coat marked him as a fighter in training. She idly hoped the scales were as strong as Lukos promised her they were—just in case someone tried to attack the unarmed man. 

The cut of the fitted coats themselves, while pleasing to her eye, would inform the Wildlings who met them that they were citydwellers. There was just one thing they were missing. 

She approached the pair and held a hand out to each of them, revealing a single gold earring in both with a gemstone hanging from a it: Hythlodaeus’ had an amethyst while Hades’ had a pearl. 

“Wildlings wear jewelry when they aren’t in mourning,” she explained. “Wearing these will help them accept you.” 

She ran her thumb along the back of each, adding a clip so they could wear it. Hades put his on his left ear, while Hythlodaeus went with his right. Eudora took a step back and admired the two men. They glanced at each other before focusing on her. 

“Well?” Hythlodaeus asked. 

“How do we look?” Hades finished. 

_Amazing_, Eudora thought, pensively grabbing her chin in an attempt to hide the smile on her face. _I really should design more clothes for them. Can’t let them know, though; Neither would ever let me hear the end of it. _

Her eyes swept over them, before picking out one thing that nearly made her burst out into laughter. 

“You’re both so _pale_!” she grinned. “You really need to wear your robes less.” 

Two sets of golden eyes widened at her comment and turned to stare at each other. One blushed while the other scowled. 

“You weren’t complaining when I was holding you,” Hades noted. 

“And you weren’t in your robe, were you?” she countered with a smirk. 

His mouth worked silently before he turned on his heel, coat swirling behind him. 

“Let’s go before I _do_ decide to insult Elidibus and resign.” 

A violet portal appeared when he snapped his fingers. The three of them passed through, one after the other, with Eudora in the lead.


	27. Wildlings

They exited the portal to find themselves on a grassy cliff overlooking the sea. A breeze played with Hades’ hair and the tail of his coat as Eudora’s robes vanished. His eyes lingered on her and a smile inadvertently curled the corners of his mouth upwards. 

She wore a short-sleeved hide tunic that ended just above her knees, its collar and sleeves trimmed with white fur. The white embroidery on her tunic matched his. It reminded him of the embroidery on their Convocation robes and made him believe some sort of symbolism lay behind it. Her long, blonde hair was swept to the side, spilling over her left shoulder in a golden waterfall. A simple tan belt cinched in her waist and the pouch hanging from it piqued his curiosity. His eyes drifted down to her bare legs. 

A hand suddenly fluttered in front of him, drawing his attention back up to Eudora’s face. She smirked through the blush currently tinging her cheeks. 

“Eyes up here, Hades.” 

He murmured an apology, noting the white lily edged with violet decorating the right side of her head. The sight of an earring matching the one she had given him lifted his spirits—and he caught sight of one that matched the one worn by Hythlodaeus in her other ear. 

Her silver eyes moved over to focus on Hythlodaeus, who offered her an innocent smile despite the feelings Hades sensed through their connection mirroring his own. 

“Let’s go,” she said, passing between the pair without a second glance. “The Wildling camp is this way.” 

They exchanged a look as the same realization echoed through their connection from both ends. 

_She’s doing this on purpose. _

A faint smile settled on Hades’ face. Hythlodaeus gently nudged his shoulder; amusement flickering through from his side. 

_You’ve finally let yourself fall. _

He snorted as they followed the woman down the hill, carefully making their way through the tall grass. 

_I haven’t fallen,_ he retorted. _I **leapt**._

A copse of trees lay some distance away from where his portal left them. As they approached, Hades picked out tents made of animal hides and people moving among the trees. Hythlodaeus slowed and a feeling of anxiety seeped through their connection. He stopped to look back at the other man; Eudora stopped a few steps later. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked. 

Hythlodaeus reached up to touch the edge of a mask that wasn’t there, leaving him to lightly rub his cheekbone. 

“I… I don’t like being barefaced in front of strangers.” 

Hades frowned and walked back to him, gently resting a hand on his shoulder. 

“And you scolded me for holding on to what _she_ told me,” he whispered so Eudora wouldn’t hear. “You’re still holding on to what your parents did when you were a child.” 

Anguish filled the familiar pale eyes as they focused on him, but Hythlodaeus remained silent. 

“Everything will be fine,” Hades continued, reinforcing his words with the emotion in their bond. “These people don’t wear masks; they won’t judge your appearance—or our similarities.” 

“Twins are actually viewed as good omens among the Wildlings,” Eudora added as she slowly approached them. “To birth two children at once is considered a sign of coming prosperity for the camp. A doubling of everything, as it were.” 

Hythlodaeus released the breath he was holding and looked from one to the other before hesitantly nodding. Eudora smiled at him and took his right hand. She motioned for Hades to stand on her other side so that she’d be in the middle as they walked and slipped her hand into his. 

A man with neatly combed, short, black hair approached the trio as they reached the outskirts of the camp; his white Convocation robes served as his only identifier. Although the Emissary walked up to them confidently, his violet eyes wavered between Hades and Hythlodaeus. 

“Shachar,” he said before finally settling on Hades. “Emet-Selch. Thank you for the prompt response. I confess to not thinking you would arrive so quickly.” 

“We took a shortcut,” Hades smirked. “How does it feel to be barefaced, Elidibus? Although I see you’re still holding on to the robes. Won’t you overheat?” 

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Eudora trying to hide her smile while she squeezed his hand. Elidibus sighed, but otherwise held his stoic expression. 

“You aren’t the only one to express such concern—if it is indeed concern and not mockery. However, I feel I should remain in my robes, considering I am here in my role as Emissary.” 

“A sound choice, Elidibus,” Eudora said, smiling at the man. “Where can we meet the Elder of this camp?” 

“She is in her tent; speaking with Lukos.” 

His violet eyes moved to study Hythlodaeus, who tensed at the scrutiny. They shifted to sweep over Hades before focusing on the purple-haired man. 

“Are you Hythlodaeus?” 

“Y-yes, sir,” came the soft reply. 

The eyes darted between the twins again as if he were studying them anew and taking mental notes. Hades felt annoyance build within him, but a gentle stroke from Hythlodaeus’ side of the connection made him hold his tongue. 

“Lukos mentioned that you might be interested in exploring the camp.” He nodded at a tent on the opposite side with blue smoke wafting up from a campfire in front of it. “He thought you may want to begin there.” 

“Thank you, sir.” 

Hythlodaeus smiled at them and headed for the far tent. Hades sent one final surge of reassurance through their connection before they grew too distant for communication. A grateful reply returned and their bond fell silent. 

“Shachar,” Elidibus continued, “I would have you speak with the other Wildlings. I have done my best, but perhaps they will be more open to you, considering Lukos has spoken at length about you at the nighttime fire gatherings. You may be able to find out what the normal Wildlings need from us to secure their cooperation.” 

“Knowing Wildlings, it’ll be something you don’t expect, but I will see what I can find out.” 

She waved at them and walked to a more central part of the camp where some of the women were sitting together with the children. Hades watched her go before turning his attention to Elidibus upon hearing his title. 

“Come with me,” he said and turned to walk towards one of the larger tents. “The arrangement I have come to with the leadership of this camp, is that we will aid them in creating a more permanent settlement—thus why I summoned you. Speak with the Elder and learn of what she wants. Compile your findings with Shachar and report to me. Together, we will decide the best path forward. Take this _seriously_, Emet-Selch. This is an opportunity we cannot squander.” 

“And if I may ask, what will you be doing? Apart from dying due to heat exhaustion?” 

The man’s eyes subtly narrowed at the jab. Hades found himself relishing the ability to see the Emissary’s entire face, having never considered how expressing the man’s eyes could be. 

“I will travel to Thalassa to extend an invitation on behalf of the Wildlings to the governing body there. To my understanding, there is somewhat of an established relationship between the floating city and this camp, but it is still possible to reinforce it. Trade can be established between the two—especially once this camp is a true settlement. I will leave once I have introduced you to the Elder and should return by tomorrow afternoon.” 

Hades nodded in understanding. 

“That reminds me that I have a theoretical concept I would like to propose regarding intercity travel,” he said. “I’ve been contemplating it for some time, and believe I have finally discovered a way to lay out the groundwork for the system.” 

“Is a train not enough?” Elidibus countered, raising a black eyebrow. 

“This would be faster. You could even call it instantaneous,” Hades replied. “The method, however, is entirely unavailable to those unable to manipulate aether which would therefore require us to maintain and upkeep the train system. For everyone else, however, this would prove beneficial.” 

Elidibus fell silent as they stopped outside the tent and he seemed to consider the words. 

“How long would it take to implement?” 

“Following trials to test for correct attunement? I would say maximum three years, if I am allowed to focus my efforts on it.” 

“You are the Architect, Emet-Selch; concepts fall within your area of expertise and so I defer to you. Although I warn you not to use this as an excuse to get out of attending meetings. Lahabrea will personally march himself to your office and drag you to the Capitol by your ear. And don’t think to send your twin in your place, either.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Hades smirked. “Daeus has threatened to resign if I even hint at him attending a meeting in my place again. There is _one_ more thing, Emissary. A personal favor I would ask of you.” 

A shadow of curiosity flitted across Elidibus’ face. 

“You have my attention, Emet-Selch.” 

“It has come to my attention that you will be holding a concert later this year. Tickets have already sold out, but I heard that you have reserved some for personal use.” 

Two black eyebrows darted up the man’s forehead as he crossed his arms. 

“I wasn’t aware you were a fan of my work.” 

“It’s passable,” Hades replied quicker than he would have liked. “The tickets would be more so for two dear friends of mine, who I feel would enjoy the concert to its fullest.” 

Elidibus waited a moment before he huffed out a laugh and shook his head. 

“Does your consequence never activate?” he wondered. “Your love of the arts isn’t exactly a secret, Emet-Selch; you don’t have to hide it from me. I’ll see about getting three tickets for you, your twin, and Shachar.” 

“What makes you think it’s for them?” 

The Emissary smirked at the caustic question. 

“Who else would it be? You don’t exactly associate yourself with anyone else.” 

Lukos appeared in the entrance to the tent, saving Hades from any further embarrassment. The white-haired Wildling wore a tunic similar to Eudora’s but with the typical white pelt draped over his shoulders instead of the fur trim and no embroidery. The edge of a scaled garment poked out from the ends of his sleeve and the bottom of his tunic. His pants seemed well-worn and were tucked into knee-high traveling boots. His usual sword hung from the belt at his waist. 

“Elidibus. Emet-Selch. Do either of you plan to come in? The Elder is waiting.” 

The Emissary entered without another word, leaving Hades alone with Lukos. The Wildling silently stepped aside and held the tent flap open for him. An unspoken question was evident in the taller man’s blue eyes. 

“She’s speaking with the women,” Hades said, nodding in the direction Eudora had taken. “Daeus took your advice and went to the tent.” 

The ghost of a smile settled on the Wildling’s lips as he bowed his head in thanks before glancing inside. Understanding the silent command, Hades entered the tent. 

A tanned woman sat in a seat on the far end, dark hair tied away from her face as she worked on something in her lap. She wore nothing, except for the strip of cloth covering her chest and the short skirt covering her lower half. Around her neck hung a string of shells and—to Hades’ surprise—the pointed teeth of an animal he did not immediately recognize. 

She glanced up when he entered, setting aside what Hades found to be a piece of wood and a carving knife. Dark eyes focused on him before curiously moving to Lukos. 

“A sorcerer? Is this the citydweller who convinced the Wanderer to give up the road?” 

“No, but this is one of his students,” Lukos replied, amusement in his voice. “And don’t think I’ve fully given up my ways yet, Elder. I have more than earned my title of ‘Wanderer’ for a reason.” 

The woman smiled and addressed Hades. 

“Then you must be the Architect about whom the Emissary spoke.” She motioned to a spot on the floor in front of her. “Take a seat, Architect. Emissary, will you be staying?” 

Elidibus stiffly bowed to the woman. 

“No, Elder. I leave for Thalassa.” 

“Safe travels then, Emissary,” she said before he left. “Wanderer, I would feel more at ease if you stayed with the Architect and myself.” 

Lukos nodded and took a seat near the spot the woman had indicated to Hades, who finally sat down. This close to her, he noted her scarred skin and muscular build and decided it would be best to heed Elidibus’ advice for once and keep his typical remarks to a minimum. 

“Do you know why you are here, Architect?” 

“Elidibus informed me of your intentions, yes,” Hades admitted. “You wish to create a permanent settlement. An admirable goal, if I am being honest, and one that I imagine was chosen with your people in mind.” 

“Do you think it wise?” 

Hades hesitated at the question and the weight of the woman’s stare. He glanced at Lukos to find the man patiently watching him. 

“I think it admirable, Elder,” he repeated. 

A smirk twisted her lips. 

“Is this the fabled honesty of Amaurot’s great Architect?” 

His temper overrode any concern for his wellbeing. 

“Considering we sincerely wish to build relations with your people, why open our dialogue with a question only to then doubt the truth of my reply? You asked a question, I answered it. If it is not to your liking, then perhaps we should bring Elidibus back to mediate our conversation.” 

A pause. The woman burst into laughter. She grinned at Lukos once she had regained control. 

“You were right; he _is_ straightforward for a citydweller!” She smiled at Hades. “Forgive me, Architect, but I had to see it for myself after the Wanderer sang your praises alongside those of his little one.” 

The words took him by surprise. He glanced over to the white-haired Wildling, who smirked in response. 

“Allow me to specify my question, then,” the Elder continued. “Is this particular place wise, in your estimation as Architect?” 

Grasping what she meant, Hades considered what he had noted of the area upon arrival. He closed his eyes as he recreated the land in his mind. 

“The basis of any permanent settlement is sustainability,” he said, partially to himself. “A reliable food source is required, which could come from the sea, livestock, or crops—the last of which may prove difficult depending on the quality of soil. Drinking water is equally important and I did not see any close by when we arrived.” 

“There is a river not far from here,” Lukos replied. 

“Then I would suggest either relocating there or redirecting it to flow here. Since you are not yet settled, you have the luxury of choosing which would be preferable.” 

“And for the settlement’s defense?” the Elder asked. “Keeping in mind that if we wanted to live behind walls, then we would move to the cities.” 

Hades considered the paradox, skimming through various concepts in his mind. 

“What about invisible walls?” he asked. “A barrier that could be controlled via a panel and works using ambient aether? The barrier could be lowered and raised at will to protect the settlement. I could teach your people how to program it and repair it should the need ever arise. Required parts could be obtained from Thalassa.” 

The Elder hummed and seemed to consider his answer. Without warning, the woman stood up and smiled at Hades as he stood up. 

“Let us take a walk, Architect. We will tour the camp together and, hopefully, you will have a better idea by the end if we should remain here or relocate to the river—as well as where and how to place these invisible walls of yours. I will also show you where you and your fellows will be staying.” 

“P-pardon me?” Hades stammered and immediately wanted to kick himself for the display of weakness. 

If the woman noticed, she made no mention of it and went directly into explaining herself. 

“The Wanderer asked that two tents be prepared for you and the two who would accompany you. I believe he said they would be the Listener and a Seer desiring training. He specifically asked that the tents be placed in one of the quieter areas of camp.” 

Hades’ eyes widened and he glanced at the white-haired Wildling in shock. Their eyes locked and a piece of the man’s midnight blue soul extended towards him. He tapped into it to receive the message he knew awaited him. 

_“Consider it part of an apology for my injuring Hythlodaeus and my attempts to kill you after my little one explicitly said not to. Just make sure I don’t regret it. I will find a way to destroy you, despite your increased capabilities, even if it costs me my life.” _

He swallowed at the added threat and nodded while the Elder continued. 

“You and yours are, of course, welcome to stay as long as needed. In fact, I expect you to stay some time, considering the tasks that lie ahead of you.” 

Hades dipped into a bow, glancing up at her with his most charming smile. 

“Then permit me to speak for me and mine and offer our gratitude. We shall do our best not to disappoint.”


	28. Training

Metal clashed against metal as they exchanged blows. He parried a blow and lunged forward, sliding the blade through his opponent’s guard. The short Wildling gasped as the tip of his blunted sword pressed up against her jaw. 

Applause from the spectators made Hythlodaeus lower his blade and offer her a hand along with a warm smile. The woman accepted the handshake before they faced the Wildlings gathered around them. 

“Well done, little Seer!” Lukos called from his seat on the sidelines, a grin stretching across his face. 

The white-haired Wildling hopped up and approached them as they sheathed their weapons. He offered advice to the woman and pat her on the shoulder once he had dismissed her. Lukos turned to Hythlodaeus as his opponent walked away. The gathered Wildlings dispersed to return to their chores. 

Hades, Eudora, and himself had managed to accomplish quite a bit in the three moons they had spent with the Wildlings. The camp had relocated further inland from the copse by the coast to a spot Hades had chosen by the river. His friends had then gotten to work helping the Wildlings turn the camp into a permanent settlement. Eudora focused on creating crops and beasts that would take care of their needs while Hades turned his attention to their defenses. He had apparently promised them an invisible wall that they would be able to control and asked Hythlodaeus for his input. When the latter wasn’t helping program the barrier around the settlement, he was training with either Lukos or the camp’s Seer. 

The white-haired Wildling smirked at Hythlodaeus. 

“You’re already able to hold your own against one of their better fighters,” he noted. “You’re doing rather well for yourself, boy. You should be proud.” 

His face heated up at the praise despite already being flushed from training all morning. He did his best to hide it by walking over to where he had left his coat and slipped it on while Lukos joined him. 

“If I have reached any level of skill, Lukos, it is due to your training and that of the Coastal Seer,” he said, adjusting the way the coat fell on him. 

“I could spend just as long training a rock and it would still only sit there,” the Wildling countered. “You have a knack for it, boy; you’re quicker on your feet than most citydwellers I’ve met and your instincts are just as sharp as any Wildling’s.” 

“Caused by a lifetime of needing to keep up with Hades’ schemes, no doubt,” he smirked to himself. “Although I’m sure you would agree he’s a better fighter than I am.” 

Something made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end just as his instincts sparked a warning through him. Hythlodaeus spun on his heel and drew his sword in one smooth motion, catching Lukos’ claws as they swiped down at him. The Wildling grinned as aether rippled around Hythlodaeus’ blade, sharpening it under his touch. 

“Why compare yourself to him, little Seer?” Lukos asked, tightening his grip on the sword until it bit into his fingers. “He is a sorcerer where you are a fighter. To compare the two of you would be like comparing a fish to a bird.” 

“And yet it has been done my entire _life_,” Hythlodaeus spat, tugging on the sword. “If it wasn’t my parents, then it was our professors at the Akadaemia, and if not _them_, then anyone who knows us! ‘Why does he look like _their_ boy?!’ ‘A shame you can’t manipulate aether like Hades.’ ‘You’re too smart for your own good—just like _Hades_.’” 

Lukos finally released the weapon; blood dripped from the cuts in the Wildling’s fingers. He licked the wounds, healing them shut before drawing his own sword. One corner of Lukos’ lips drew back to form a smirk. 

“I had thought to move on to archery training, but perhaps you need a fight to get this out of your system before I hand you a bow.” 

Hythlodaeus scoffed and shook his head while sheathing his weapon. 

“I’ll be fine; I don’t need to fight.” 

“Pity,” Lukos growled. 

Another warning shot down his spine just before Lukos swung his sword at him. Hythlodaeus hopped out of the way and backed up to put some distance between them. 

“I’m not going to fight, Lukos,” he insisted. 

“Then _defend_ yourself,” the Wildling snarled, charging at him. 

The purple-haired man dodged the initial attack and danced backwards out of the follow-up attack. Lukos swiped at the air with his left hand, fingers tensed like claws. A wall of flames erupted out of the ground behind Hythlodaeus, stopping him in his tracks. The Wildling lunged forward, sword aiming for the center of his chest. 

Hythlodaeus side-stepped the stab, leaving Lukos with his back to the flames. The other man’s attack flowed into a swing. His instincts warned him too late and the flat of Lukos’ blade struck him in the ribs. He hissed at the sharp pain while the older man chuckled. 

“Pay attention, little Seer,” he taunted. “Not all of your opponents will lack aether; you need to train yourself to fight them as well.” 

He charged again, this time with his sword bathed in flames. Hythlodaeus blocked the attack with his own sword, quickly diverting it to one side and letting the larger man’s momentum carry him forward. He skipped a step backwards to get out of Lukos’ long range. His foot suddenly slid out from under him and he landed hard on a patch of ice. 

The Wildling recovered sooner than him. He towered over Hythlodaeus, sword poised over his head to strike down. The lean man kicked out with a foot, catching Lukos’ knee and bringing the man to the ground. Hythlodaeus scrambled away, only to sense aether shift around the other man. 

Reacting to his instincts, he threw himself to the left, dodging the giant wolf that charged at him. A howl from the beast summoned flames around Hythlodaeus, trapping him in a circle. The purple-haired man forced himself to his feet and faced the white wolf with his sword drawn. 

The wolf rushed forward, turning back into a man as he passed through the fire, sword readied to swing. It passed just shy of Hythlodaeus’ head as the younger man tumbled out of the way and pounced the moment his feet were beneath him. He tackled Lukos to the ground, straddling his back and stabbed his sword into the dirt by the Wildling’s head. 

“_Yield_,” Hythlodaeus ordered. 

A deep, dark chuckle rumbled within Lukos. Aether gathered around the man. In the blink of an eye, Hythlodaeus found himself on the back of a giant white hawk. His hands scrambled for purchase as the bird took flight. He clung to it, eyes clenched shut while his stomach twisted and turned along with the bird’s climbs and dives. 

It suddenly banked sharply and flipped over, throwing Hythlodaeus free from its back. He sensed pure panic from Hades’ side of their connection while his clothes and hair whipped about in the wind as he fell. An idea instinctively formed in his mind. Before he could fully grasp it, he raised his left hand and snapped while the hawk dove to intercept him. 

Hades’ aether stored within the crystal responded to the motion. It poured out of the crystal tucked into a pocket on the inside of Hythlodaeus’ coat and covered him like a cool, violet mist. It seized onto the partial idea in his mind before concentrating just over his shoulder blades. 

Wings burst out of his back, covered in blue and green iridescent feathers. He somehow managed to right himself in the air so he could face the ground rushing up to meet him. The wings spread out and caught air, slowing his descent. The hawk shot past him, barely missing him with its outspread talons. 

A thought sent him flying after the giant bird. His wings tucked in, sending him into a dive aimed directly at the hawk. The animal screeched when he struck it in the back before it could regain altitude. The pair dropped to the ground in a tangled mess of wings and feathers. 

The white hawk changed back into a man and flipped over onto his back. Lukos bared his fangs in a wide grin as Hythlodaeus grabbed him by the collar of his tunic and lifted him up, pulling back a fist to punch him. He froze when the Wildling chuckled. 

“Took the fear of death for you to pull that trick, hm? And look what lovely plumage you have, little Seer.” 

Hythlodaeus sneered and punched him. His wings beat the air twice in annoyance before folding themselves against his back. 

“Was that _really_ another test?” he demanded, watching the Wildling rub the reddening side of his face. 

“Perhaps,” came the quiet confession as Lukos pulled himself out from beneath Hythlodaeus and stood up. “Perhaps I wanted to prove a point. _You_ fought me, little Seer; not Hades. You pinned me down; not him. You anticipated my attacks and dodged them. You somehow grew your own wings and tackled me out of the sky.” 

“That only happened because I had a crystal with his aether,” Hythlodaeus scowled. 

“Which, in and of itself, is an incredible feat. You are incapable of using aether, yet at the same time, _you can_. Did Hades teach you that, little Seer?” 

He lowered his gaze and shook his head. A clawed hand fell on his shoulder, making him lock eyes with the white-haired Wildling. 

“Do not let me hear you compare yourself to the Architect again, little Seer,” he said, his voice a low and comforting rumble. “And point me in the direction of anyone who does; I’ll teach them to say otherwise.” 

Hades and Eudora joined them as Hythlodaeus managed to give Lukos a faint smile and a soft word of thanks. 

“What were you _thinking_?!” Eudora hissed, hitting the Wildling in the arm. “You could have killed him!” 

“He was perfectly safe.” 

“You had no way of knowing,” Hades spat. “None of us here knew he could do that.” 

Hythlodaeus turned his smile on Eudora and his twin. He shrugged and his wings lazily mirrored the motion, grabbing the woman’s attention while Hades raised an eyebrow to study them with his eyes. 

“Knowing Lukos, he probably had some sort of suspicion that I could do something like this.” 

“I knew the aether in the crystal would save you,” Lukos replied. “I simply wasn’t sure how.” 

Hades glared at the Wildling while Eudora hesitantly stepped forward, hand outstretched to touch one of his wings. A shiver ran down his spine as she stroked the feathers. When she continued petting him, a soft smile crossed his face along with a blush. 

“How did it feel to fly?” she asked quietly. 

Hythlodaeus considered the question. He barely noticed the woman close the distance between them and lean into him. His wings tensed, suddenly aware of the multitude of eyes on the four of them. He caught the raised eyebrow Lukos gave them before the Wildling turned away, saying something about getting lunch before continuing with archery training. 

Eudora stifled a laugh and slipped her arms around his back, taking care not to disturb his wings. She whispered the question again. 

“Amazing,” he confessed and let his hands rest on her waist. 

He noticed Hades watching them and faintly sensed _longing_ through their connection. A smirk twisted Hythlodaeus’ mouth as one of his wings stretched out and brought the other man in; both wings enclosed the three of them, shielding the trio from sight. 

Hythlodaeus’ hands came up to gently hold Eudora’s face as he pressed a light kiss to her lips. She leaned more of her weight into him—at least until Hades pulled her back against him so he could kiss the crook of her neck. 

A quiet gasp escaped her while a flush spread over her face and neck. When he lightly tugged on her wrist, Hades released the woman into his waiting arms. He kissed her again, his fingers snaking into the gap between her belt and her tunic. She suddenly pushed into him, thanks to Hades pressing into her from behind. 

The other man’s arms wrapped around her and Hythlodaeus drew his wings tighter around them. His hands lightly came to rest on either side of her neck while Hades chose to nibble on one of her earlobes. He could swear he felt her pulse racing below his fingertips just before her knees buckled. The arms around her waist tightened and he pressed her into Hades’ chest. Hythlodaeus kissed her a third time on the lips while Hades refocused his attention to her neck. 

He suddenly felt her soul tugging on the connection he shared with the other man. They exchanged a quick, confused glance just as she reached back to grab Hades and kiss him. Her face was fully red now and her breath was coming in quick pants. 

“Can you take us back to your apartment?” she asked Hades. 

“I could, but why? Our tent is much closer,” the white-haired man replied, nipping at her earlobe again. 

A moan rumbled in her throat as she grabbed at Hythlodaeus’ coat and pulled him in for a kiss. When Eudora broke it, she tilted her head far enough to glare at Hades. 

“Because I want one of you to _physically insert_ himself into me and I don’t want to worry about anyone hearing us.” 

Hades’ eyes widened while Hythlodaeus felt heat wash over his own face. Eudora’s silver eyes focused back on him. 

“And you’re keeping the wings for now,” she insisted. 

He meekly nodded and locked eyes with Hades, who seemed to have recovered quickly. Hythlodaeus wrapped an arm around Eudora while Hades tightened his own grip on her. The other man’s right hand came up and snapped, plunging them into darkness.


	29. Roses

Following their quick visit to Amaurot, Hades, Hythlodaeus, and Eudora began sharing the same tent. The Wildlings paid no mind to the change—if they even noticed. The two tents that had been allocated to them were beside each other and far from the center of camp. The only person who _definitely_ noticed was Lukos, who said nothing and simply used the empty tent when the weather turned foul.

They spent another season living with the Wildlings by the river. Eudora focused on helping them establish agriculture, refining the crop concepts and the animals as needed. Hades and Hythlodaeus worked together on the settlement’s defenses. Once the barrier was in place and the people satisfied, they moved on to making their structures more permanent—at least whenever the latter wasn’t training with the Seer or Lukos. Hades then happily took on the work by himself, despite Hythlodaeus’ protests.

Reports from the Convocation regularly came in from Amaurot to either Hades or Eudora. When needed, the required person would briefly leave to handle the matter before returning. Hythlodaeus’ network, as Hades dubbed it, kept them informed of the regular goings-on within the city.

By the end of their time with them, the Wildlings were pleased with the work done by the three visitors. Thanks to their efforts, along with those of Elidibus, communication and trade had opened up between them and Thalassa. The Elder even received word from another Wildling camp expressing interest in what they had accomplished.

When the day came, they returned to Amaurot through one of Hades’ portals; Lukos insisted on flying back by himself while Elidibus remained behind to lay the groundwork for the visiting Wildlings.

The trio fell into a comfortable routine upon their return. Eudora resumed her work as Listener, taking the citizen’s concerns and reporting them back to the Convocation as the people’s advocate. Hades presented his transportation concept to the Convocation and succeeded in getting their approval to focus on it—provided he not skip meetings. Since Hythlodaeus could only help Hades with the design and numbers aspect of the concept, he spent the rest of his time running the Bureau of the Architect in Hades’ stead and delegating concept creation to those capable in the staff.

At the end of the day. they typically met in Hades’ apartment where one of them would cook dinner. They spent the time after their meal lounging with each other and finishing their wine—or in Hythlodaeus’ case, tea. When the time came, they retired to Hades’ bedroom where they would pile into his large bed and sleep until morning, thereby resuming the routine. Hythlodaeus simply wore Hades’ clothes and, every few days, Eudora would stop by her apartment to check on things and get fresh clothes for herself.

For the first time in his life, Hades found himself feeling genuinely _happy_.

One morning the Architect woke up earlier than usual. In the soft moonlight coming in through the window, he studied the gentle curve of Eudora’s cheek and the way she had tucked herself under Hythlodaeus’ chin in her sleep. He smiled as his eyes traced a line from the other man’s bicep down to where his hand curled around the woman, whose own hand had grabbed Hades’ in their sleep. The white-haired man lightly brushed his thumb along what he could of her hand before slipping from her hold and out of the bed.

Only pausing to put on a silk robe, he padded barefoot to the kitchen where he silently made himself a cup of coffee and took it to his office. There he sat behind his desk and propped his feet up on it, staring out the window at the night sky and slowly sipped the black liquid.

Halfway through the cup, a soft knock at the front door pulled Hades from his thoughts. He furrowed his brow and focused his senses on whoever had knocked. A perfectly composed and collected black and white soul stood on the other side of the door. An eyebrow instinctively raised as he set his coffee down on the desk and snapped his Convocation robes and mask into place on his way to the door.

Hades quickly opened it before joining Elidibus outside and closed the door behind him. The Emissary took a step back to give him space before addressing him.

“Good morning, Emet-Selch. I hope I didn’t disturb you,” the white-robed man said, “the only reason I knocked was because it seemed you were awake.”

“I was,” he confessed. “What brings you here so early?”

Elidibus slipped an envelope out of his sleeve and held it out to Hades.

“Your three tickets for tonight’s concert, as requested. I have been assured that these are some of the best seats in the house for a piano concert.”

His eyes widened behind his mask as he accepted the envelope and looked at the tickets inside. His jaw dropped when he saw the seats. Elidibus raised a hand to silence him before he could object.

“Consider them thanks for your help with the Wildlings. I hope that you enjoy the concert,” the man added with a ghost of a smile. “Have a good day, Emet-Selch.”

Elidibus turned without another word; the door to the lift immediately opened to let him leave. Hades blinked after the Emissary before looking down at the tickets in his hand.

“I guess tonight will be the night,” he whispered.

The concert hall was filled to bursting—and Hythlodaeus was practically vibrating with glee. From their front seats on the balcony, they looked below at the crowd of robes and white masks milling about on the ground floor; a buzz of anticipation drifted up to them.

Eudora sat between them and seemed just as excited as Hythlodaeus; it was her first concert, after all. Hades smiled below his mask as she leaned into him while holding the other man’s hand. He draped an arm around her and lightly rested his hand on theirs as they waited for the concert to begin.

An Amaurotine wearing a gold mask stepped out onto the stage, causing a hush to fall over the hall. They introduced themselves as the organizer and welcomed the audience to the concert before introducing Elidibus.

The white-robed Emissary walked onto the stage to deafening applause. He bowed to the audience and took his place at the black piano commanding the center of the stage. The hall fell silent once again.

Aether rippled throughout the hall, precluding the first notes of the Emissary’s first piece. Music danced along the waves generated by the aether, amplifying the sounds so everyone could hear regardless of their seat.

Hades relaxed, recognizing the piece as the one on Hythlodaeus’ record. Eudora gasped when she noticed it and glanced over at Hythlodaeus, whose eyes were glued to the pianist while a smile split his face. She redirected her attention to Hades.

“I didn’t know Elidibus played this,” she whispered.

Hades nodded.

“He wrote this—and most of his pieces—before taking his seat. He rarely performs anymore. Daeus and I managed to sneak into one of those rare concerts when we were younger; that was when Daeus bought the record in our office.”

He sensed her smile behind her mask while her free hand fell onto his knee.

“So you got these tickets for him?”

He scoffed and smirked at her.

“I got these tickets for _us_. Don’t tell me you aren’t enjoying our dear Emissary’s work.”

Eudora snuggled into him as well as the seats would allow, her arm moving up to pull him in to the best of her ability. Her soul echoed the movement, wrapping itself around his.

“No, I do,” she confessed, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

Warmth radiated through his soul along with his physical body. Hades gently kissed the top of her head through her hood and carefully rested his cheek against her head as they watched Elidibus play.

At the end of the two hour concert, they joined everyone else in a standing ovation for the Emissary. Hades snapped and a dozen red roses fell at the man’s feet as he bowed. Elidibus started for a moment, before glancing up at the balcony they were on. He directed a final bow towards them and left the stage.

They filed out of the concert hall with the rest of the audience. On their way out, the three came to a decision that they weren’t quite ready to head home yet and settled on wandering through the city. Hythlodaeus led the discussion on the concert, touching on certain parts and commenting on others. Hades listened with a lazy smile and led them through the city while Eudora hung on to every word, asking questions whenever she seemed confused. As the conversation finally came to an end, Hades fell back to walk between the two, looping an arm around each of their shoulders.

“Say Daeus,” he drawled, “why don’t you sing for Dori one day? I’m sure she’d _love_ to hear it.”

An embarrassed blush immediately fell over the other man’s face while Eudora seemed to perk up.

“You can sing?” she asked, leaning forward to get a better look at him. “Why didn’t you ever bring that up?”

“B-because it isn’t really… anything…” Hythlodaeus started but the words quickly died out under their combined gazes.

“Don’t be ridiculous; you have a lovely voice,” Hades countered before smirking at Eudora. “I used to catch him singing all the time when we lived together at the Akadaemia.”

The woman gasped at the news, bringing a fresh tint of pink to the other man’s face. Hades chuckled and leaned in to press a kiss to Hythlodaeus’ warm cheek. His oldest friend’s arm wrapped around his waist before the man suddenly came to a stop. To his right, Eudora quickly did the same. He smirked at the pair and glanced at the towering tree in front of them beside the pond.

“You finally noticed where I was bringing the two of you,” he noted. “I thought it would be nice to sit here for a time.”

They carefully made their way to the trunk and sat among the gnarled roots. Moonlight glinted off the pond as Eudora settled into place between the two men. With a flourish, Hades pulled a red rose out the aether and removed the woman’s mask to tuck the flower behind her ear. She smiled and lowered her hood to better examine the accessory by touch. Hades created a mirror for her to check her reflection. 

“I wasn’t going to say anything, but I was a little jealous that Elidibus got all of those roses,” she smirked as the mirror vanished.

“I could give you more,” he said in a low voice.

He saw the shiver pass through her soul as her silver eyes locked to his. A hand carefully came up to remove his mask so she could better study his expression.

“I could give you _so_ much more,” he purred with a smile.

A question came through his connection to Hythlodaeus; he responded positively. Eudora glanced back at the other man who gave her a warm smile and removed his own mask before relaxing against the tree trunk. By the time she faced Hades again, her eyebrows were drawn together and her mouth was tilted in confusion.

Hades wrapped his arms around her and fully pulled her into his lap. He lightly kissed her lips, then her cheek, and finally her ear.

“Let me give you _everything_,” he whispered.

She melted against him. He pulled away just enough to rest his forehead against hers. His soul swirled around hers, enveloping her aquamarine soul in violet and dark red. Hades smiled as he brought a hand up to gently caress her cheek.

“Eudora, will you bond with me?”

Her breath hitched at the question and she pulled back to stare at him.

“I mean it,” he insisted. “Bond with me, Dori. Be my soulmate.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. She threw her arms around Hades’ neck, knocking him back against the tree trunk and kissed him. He smiled against her lips as he returned the gesture in a more gentle manner. Eudora glanced over at Hythlodaeus and flicked her wrist, pulling him into their arms with a gentle burst of aether.


	30. Bond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the book club. <3
> 
> [Please note the change in rating. Latter half is... nsfw. Enjoy!]

They agreed to have a private ceremony, since the rest of the Convocation would likely object. Lukos suggested they ask the Coastal Elder for help; much to Eudora’s surprise, Hades agreed. 

Eudora and Hades waited for the next long recess between Convocation meetings to visit the coast with Hythlodaeus and Lukos. The Elder received the four of them with open arms. When Lukos explained the purpose of their return, she immediately declared the Wildlings must prepare for the start of the festivities: a week-long celebration of their union, beginning with their bonding ceremony the following day.

The Elder, herself, officiated the ceremony as was typical in Wildling bondings. Eudora stood with Hades in front of the entire settlement with Lukos and Hythlodaeus standing nearby. Towards the end of the ceremony, the Elder declared them bound for eternity in the eyes of both man and creation, wrapping a beaded cord around their joined hands to symbolize their union. 

Eudora sensed part of her soul drawn towards Hades while a piece of his soul pressed against hers. She glanced at him and received a soft smile in return. Using her free hand, she pulled the white-haired man in and kissed him on the lips. When he reciprocated, a jolt passed through her soul that made her gasp into his mouth. 

She felt _all_ of him: his emotions, his thoughts, his fears and desires. She felt his soul brimming with energy it could barely contain and gained a clearer understanding of what she had glimpsed when he last fought Lukos. She felt the moment _he_ realized their new connection. Fear flared up within him, but was quickly snuffed out by joy and curiosity as he explored her part of their connection.

As the assembled Wildlings cheered, Eudora became acutely aware of a sense of overwhelming happiness from someone who wasn’t the man in front of her. When she began tracing the feeling back to its source, the happiness turned into surprise and then a familiar sense of realization that was echoed through her connection to Hades. A thought rippled through their bond.

_Are you connected to her now?_

It was undeniably Hades, but the question confused her. The response surprised her when it came.

_Ah, it seems I am._

Her eyes settled on Hythlodaeus as the crowd gathered around them. His pale yellow eyes watched her intently while a reassuring stroke came through the connection she had been following. 

_Seems you got two for the price of one, dear Dori._

Heat rose to the woman’s face at Hythlodaeus’ words. He approached the newly bonded pair along with Lukos. They led Hades and Eudora to the middle of the settlement where a feast awaited them followed by an evening of music and dancing.

Two men watched the ongoing feast from the outer edges of the celebration. The blond man wore a crimson tunic with white embroidery and black pants and boots. A black eyepatch covered his left eye and served to conceal some of the scar running from his nose to his left temple. The black-haired man bore a white coat with gold embroidery similar to his partner’s and the same black pants and boots. His violet eyes studied the white-haired Architect and his new wife as he brought a cigarette to his lips. 

“We should, by rights, say something to the others,” he exhaled with the smoke.

The blond released a breathy chuckle. His red eye focused on the other man.

"What would we gain from it, Orpheus? If we ruin his little one’s happiness, Lukos would hunt us both down. I’d rather gouge out my remaining eye.”

“He knew what he was doing, Aristotelis. Your friend was the one who invited us.”

“Not so we could run and tell on them,” the blond countered. “Knowing my old friend, he probably thinks we deserve to be here. In a way, we’ve both had a hand in this ceremony taking place. You were the one who invited her to Amaurot and I was there when Hades proved himself.”

The black-haired man remained silent and took another drag from his cigarette. The blond chuckled and nudged the other man.

“Be sincere for once; you’re happy for them.”

A sigh accompanied by tendrils of smoke.

“Yes, I am,” he confessed. A moment passed before, “You know, you’re too lax for a professor, Aris.”

“And you’re too uptight for a musician,” came the counter. “It’s why we’ve lasted so long. Shall we head back?”

“Let me finish this, first,” the black-haired man replied, but made no effort to hurry.

The festivities continued well into the night. Eudora ate, drank, and laughed with Hades and Hythlodaeus. After a certain point, Lukos convinced them to dance with the Wildlings which left them breathless but giddy following their attempts to keep up with the speedy rhythm of the dance. 

When the party finally started to wind down for the night, Eudora noticed a sleepy feeling come through her connection to Hades. She smiled at her husband as he rubbed an eye and stifled a yawn. The woman leaned against him, receiving an amused hum in return as he draped his arm around her and slumped his weight onto her. She chuckled when he closed his eyes.

“Tired already?” she whispered. 

Hades hummed again while a faint smile lifted the corner of his lips. She carefully slipped a hand into his open coat and traced a line down his ribs. His eyes eased open as he drew closer. His smile sharpened and pale gold eyes glimmered in the firelight. 

“I suppose I could stave off sleep for a little longer,” he drawled.

Shivers ran through her and a pleasurable jolt coursed through her soul. She smiled at him and took his hand to lead him away. Catching Hythlodaeus’ eye, Eudora motioned for him to follow them.

She led the two men away from the settlement, pulling Hythlodaeus in for a kiss once they were out of sight. Hades folded his arms around her waist from behind and waited for her to turn and kiss him. When she broke away, she leaned back against Hythlodaeus’ more solid form and pulled Hades closer by his coat.

“Apartment, please,” she smiled, trailing kisses up the Architect’s chest. 

Hythlodaeus wrapped his arms around her while Hades held her head in place with one hand on the back of her neck. He smirked before kissing her and snapping them into darkness.

They reappeared in Hades’ bedroom. Eudora threw her arms around the white-haired man’s neck before he could pull away and smiled at him, rubbing herself against his growing hardness.

“I think tonight’s when you finally pay off what you owe,” she whispered.

His jaw clenched and the fingers on the back of her neck twitched. A flurry of frustration and indignation slipped through their connection.

“What do you mean?” he demanded flatly.

Her smile twisted into a smirk as she created a chair behind him. With a firm push, she forced him down into it and followed him to leave a light kiss on the tip of his nose.

“You’re going to watch—and nothing else—until I say so. Then we’ll be even.”

A strangled noise caught in the man’s throat and his eyes widened. A question flickered through their bond that made her look over her shoulder and smile at Hythlodaeus. Hades seemed to understand, but that only made the frustration flowing from his end worse. 

Eudora chuckled, letting her fingers lightly trail down the center of the sitting man’s chest until they reached the stiffness at his groin. She teasingly stroked him through his pants; Hades clutched the armrests of the chair and clenched his jaw anew.

Sensing Hythlodaeus’ curiosity through their new bond, she turned to face the purple-haired man. Eudora started at his waist and slowly drew her hands up his torso, feeling and savoring every bit of the twin’s chest. He took her by the hips and pulled her in before kissing her and slowly rolled her hips against himself. She smiled upon discovering he was already as hard as Hades. Her hands swept down from his shoulders along his arms, peeling off his coat with his help. The man returned the favor by slipping her tunic off over her head. 

Hythlodaeus ducked down to cup the side of Hades’ face and gave the sitting man a long kiss that left him breathless. He smirked at his white-haired twin and winked before sweeping Eudora up in his arms and taking her to the bed.

Once she was lying down, the man straddled her, rested on her thighs and cupped her breasts with his calloused hands. Shivers ran through her as he gently toyed with them, drawing feather-light lines along the undersides and up to the nipples. He dipped his head down and sucked on each one until she moaned and twisted his long hair in her fingers.

His mouth trailed upwards as her breaths shortened and his left hand snaked down to her opening. A few experimental strokes had her nails digging into his thighs and her hips twisting into his touch. Hythlodaeus kissed her lips, pouring his soul into hers at the same time he slid a finger into her. 

Lightning arched through Eudora at the combination of the man’s teasing attentions and the way his soul danced around hers, sending waves of pleasure rippling through her soul wherever they made contact. She moaned into him, grabbing onto the man for purchase and angled herself in a greedy grab for _more _of whatever he could give her. 

Hythlodaeus removed his hand with a light chuckle, drawing a needy whine from her as her nails bit into his flesh to keep him in place. His soul finally settled on hers in its entirety, bleeding into it and allowing her to feel every part of him. His infectious joy and desire fed into her, sparking through every particle that was _her_ and drew forth the same emotions from the depths of herself. She reciprocated by feeding them back into him, creating a loop that made their souls buzz.

Another kiss and Eudora became faintly aware of him carefully adjusting her legs. She gripped the fabric of his pants and dissipated them with a thought. A sudden _pang_ of longing from Hades came through as Hythlodaeus kissed her again, his hands shifting up to her hips. Her hands travelled up to the man’s hair and shoulders as he slowly entered her. He stilled once he was fully hilted inside, distracting her with light strokes on her soul. 

She grew impatient. A tug on his hair drew something between a gasp and a chuckle out of Hythlodaeus. He moved back and forth, matching the rhythm with the strokes on her soul. Gradually increasing the tempo, he pulled ever more frantic sounds out of her as her grip tightened on him. 

Another tug of his hair. He firmly plunged himself into Eudora and her vision lit up with emerald and pale gold streaked with aquamarine. They cried out in harmony.

As she fell from her heights, Eudora noticed her connection to Hades vibrating with tension. Hythlodaeus chuckled above her while they glanced at the seated man, who returned the look with something approaching a glare. 

The purple-haired man nuzzled her cheek and softly kissed it as he moved aside. Eudora sat up and returned the gesture before leaning against his chest and resting her elbows on his knees. She smiled at Hades.

“I think you’ve been patient enough, dear husband.”

The white-haired man launched himself out of the chair; his clothes vanished with a snap.

He descended on her, pressing a ravenous kiss to her lips and pulled her against himself with an arm around her lower back and a hand to the back of her head. His soul was just as eager, greedily snatching hers up in his violet grip and swallowing it whole. 

When Eudora withdrew to take a breath, Hades moved to nip a path down her neck and shoulder. She arched into him as he continued down her collarbone to her breasts, teasing a nipple with his tongue before carefully catching it in between his teeth. She gasped at the pressure—and the sensation of claws lightly dragging down her back. 

Shivers raced up her spine as he sprang up to devour her lips with a stifled growl; the force pushed her back against Hythlodaeus. She caught the glint of gold claws capping off Hades’ fingers just before his aether enveloped the three of them in darkness. 

A snap. Hythlodaeus stifled a moan as pinpricks of emerald light lit up the violet void. She felt the man behind her suddenly stiffen. His arms wrapped around her waist as Hades resumed nipping at her neck. He moved up to her earlobe while Hythlodaeus leaned in to kiss her opposite shoulder. 

She felt Hades’ soul tug the emerald soul of Hythlodaeus into its embrace without releasing hers. The violet soul coiled itself around the trapped souls, bleeding its fervent desires into both. Hythlodaeus tightened his hold on her in response and nipped her shoulder, drawing a shocked cry out of Eudora.

Hades continued nibbling on her ear and neck while a claw dragged its way between her breasts and over her stomach. It slipped inside her and she jerked into it with a deep moan as he crooked it within her. He claimed the rest of her moans as his lips took hers while he continued his ministrations. Hythlodaeus’ hands came up to fondle her unattended breasts. 

Eudora bucked against his hand; another claw joined the first, quickening her moans and pants. His soul tightened around theirs and pulled a groan out of Hythlodaeus, whose hands started frantically squeezing and pinching her nipples. Her hands grabbed at Hades who responded by adding a third claw and picking up his own pace. She caught his lower lip between her teeth and snarled; Hades grinned in turn.

His hand withdrew. Before she could protest, he lined himself up and pulled her onto him, reaching around her in search of Hythlodaeus. She gasped and dug her nails into Hades while Hythlodaeus groaned into her shoulder and tightened his grip on her. 

Hades’ soul started undulating around the two in its grip. She and Hythlodaeus moaned in tandem as Hades pumped them to the same rhythm. Even the aether around them seemed to tug at her, lighting up her aether at the same pace at which Hades thrusted in and out of her. The momentum increased. Her cries grew higher and the aether grew thicker, blotting out the emerald lights. 

He paused a moment, planted a deep kiss on her lips, and fully seated himself inside her. Violet and dark red consumed her world. She cried out into his mouth while Hythlodaeus loosed one of his own; Hades joined soon after. 

Another snap and the void vanished, returning them to the bed. Hades nuzzled and held her as the claws dissipated from his hands. He fell to the side, pulling her with him; she offered no resistance and lay beside him as he gently stroked her cheek. A moment later, Hythlodaeus fell into place behind her and tucked his chin against her shoulder while his arm loosely wrapped around her. 

Eudora smiled as the three drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading all of Shards!
> 
> While our time in Amaurot has <strike>mostly</strike> ended, the story isn't over yet. 
> 
> :)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Wanna join a discord packed with other people who like FFXIV fanfics? Here you go! https://discord.gg/tvm2vBk
> 
> Think of it as a... book club filled with wholesome, yet _thirsty_ people who play FFXIV together! We're all really creative and beyond supportive. <3


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